Overview

• Keir Starmer arrived in India with a 125-strong delegation that includes the Scotch Whisky Association, British Airways and other major UK firms for meetings with senior ministers and businesses.
• The India–UK trade agreement reached in July 2025 is projected by the UK to lift bilateral trade by £25.5 billion and increase UK GDP by £4.8 billion.
• Tariffs on premium Scotch whisky are set to drop from 150% to 75% once the deal takes effect, then to 40% over a decade, with industry estimates pointing to up to £1 billion in annual sales and a £190 million boost to Scotland’s economy.
• Actual retail prices in India will depend on phased tariff schedules and state excise and pricing policies, and producers may reassess supply chains, including shifting some bottled-in-India production back to the UK.
• Officials say talks on this trip also cover wider cooperation across services, investment, digital and AI, telecom and defence beyond the goods provisions.