Zero duty, new opportunities: First garment shipment takes flight from Amritsar to UK
The special commercial consignment was dispatched to Birmingham, UK, through an Air India direct flight
Marking a significant milestone in bilateral trade relations, the first export consignment of readymade garments under the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) was flagged off today from the cargo terminal of Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport (SGRDI), Amritsar. The special commercial consignment was dispatched to Birmingham, UK, through an Air India direct flight.
The flag-off ceremony was attended by senior officials, including Aditya Singh Chauhan, Deputy Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT); Gaurav Gupta, Assistant Director; and K Sharma, Airport Director, SGRDI Airport, Amritsar.
The India-UK CETA, which officially came into effect on July 15, 2026, marks a historic new chapter in trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. A key feature of the agreement is the provision of duty-free access to the UK market for nearly 99 per cent of Indian exports, significantly enhancing opportunities for Indian exporters across sectors.
Major boost for textile and garment industry
The implementation of CETA brings substantial benefits to India’s labour-intensive textile and garment sector. Prior to the agreement, Indian readymade garments and textiles faced import duties ranging from 4 per cent to 16 per cent in the UK market. Under the new trade regime, these duties have been eliminated, reducing tariffs to zero per cent and creating greater opportunities for Indian manufacturers to expand their presence and competitiveness in the British market.
The agreement is also expected to strengthen the regional economy and improve export infrastructure. The direct movement of goods from the Amritsar cargo terminal to international destinations through Air India demonstrates that exporters from Punjab and neighbouring regions can increasingly rely on regional air cargo facilities rather than depending solely on major metropolitan airports.
This development will help exporters achieve significant savings in logistics costs and transit time. The implementation of CETA fulfils a long-standing demand of garment and textile manufacturers in Amritsar and is expected to provide fresh momentum to the region’s export sector.
