UK and India about to sign landmark trade deal but not everyone’s happy

Published

6 hours ago

July 23, 2025

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As India and Britain look set to sign a free trade agreement (FTA), some industries are disappointed and want a level playing field.

The Indian cabinet has given its consent to the deal as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is headed to the UK to sign it with his British counterpart Sir Keir Starmer.

The pact, formally called a comprehensive economic and trade agreement, will now have to be ratified by the British parliament, which could take several months.

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For Britain, this is the biggest and most economically significant bilateral trade deal since it left the European Union. The government says the deal is expected to add £4.8bn to the economy and £2.2bn in wages every year in the long run.

Britain is the sixth-largest investor in India, with cumulative investments of around $36bn. There are at least 1,000 Indian companies operating in the country, employing more than 100,000 people, with a total investment of $2bn.

At a time when countries are trying to navigate the turbulent effects of US President Donald Trump’s tariff upheaval, this pact comes as a great economic boost for both countries.

What’s in the deal

Once made law, the agreement will reduce 90% of tariffs on British exports to India that include whisky, cars, cosmetics, salmon, lamb, medical devices, electrical machinery, soft drinks, chocolate, and biscuits.

India will get a zero-tariff deal on 99% of its tariff lines, covering nearly 100% of trade value. These include clothes, footwear and food products, including frozen prawns. With a zero tariff on textiles and apparel, Indian exports will get the same advantage as countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam.

India has got concessions on easy mobility for its professionals, including contractual suppliers and intra-corporate transferees with dependents.

The Double Contribution Convention (DCC) that ensures employees temporarily working in the UK for up to 3 years will continue paying social security contributions in their home country.

India will reduce duties from 100% to 10% for a limited number of imports of cars, while Britain will give access to its markets for electric and hybrid vehicles.

Both countries have agreed to provide national treatment (same treatment as domestic companies) in select services, including telecom, construction and environment.

Areas of concern

But it’s Scotch whisky that has been a bone of contention in the negotiations. The UK has bargained hard, and tariffs have been slashed from 150% to 75% while retaining the issue of maturation of Scotch.

Whisky to be classified as Scotch needs to mature for at least three years. During this process, a small amount – dubbed the “angel’s share” – evaporates due to climate and casks.

Anant S Iyer, director general of the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC), representing Indian manufacturers, told Sky News: “India has a tropical climate – the process of maturation is much faster. While in Scotland, the evaporation losses are around 2% a year, here it’s about 10-15% yearly, depending on where you’re distillery is based.

“So, a one-year-old mature Indian whisky could be equal to about a three-year-old Scotch whisky. This non-tariff barrier is something that’s causing us a huge setback.”

Indian manufacturers lose a third of volume over a three-year maturation period, which makes it unviable for them.
Mr Iyer says, “while the FTA does bring cost savings for our blended whiskies, it will also open the floodgates for cheaper products from a plethora of Scotch brands in the UK”.

India is the largest whisky market in the world by volume, and Scotch has just 3% of that.

According to the Scotch Whisky Association, which represents over 90 companies, India is its largest export market by volume, with more than 192 million bottles exported in 2024.

Despite the deal, there is still little clarity on issues of “rules of origin”, a provision to help contain the dumping of goods; UK carbon tax, a concern for India as it could restrict the export of metal products; and the issue of international arbitration.

UK

Two children and a woman die after shooting in Northern Ireland

Published

3 hours ago

July 23, 2025

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Two children and a woman die after shooting in Northern Ireland

Two children and a woman have died in a shooting in County Fermanagh, police have said.

Two people were killed in the shooting on Wednesday morning, and a third, who was seriously injured, died in hospital in the afternoon.

A fourth person, a man, was seriously injured in the shooting in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.

All victims were from the same household, Superintendent Robert McGowan, district commander for Fermanagh and Omagh, said at a news conference.

Police have cordoned off the scene in the village of Maguiresbridge, about 75 miles (120km) southwest of Belfast.

“We can advise there is no ongoing risk to the public,” a Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesperson said.

There was no mention of a motive behind the shooting.

A murder investigation has been launched, with enquiries being at an early stage.

Supt McGowan said at the news conference that police don’t anticipate any arrests being made at this stage.

Emergency services were called to the Drummeer Road area of the village at around 8am on Wednesday following a report raised from the property, Supt McGowan said.

Two people were found dead at the scene, and two others seriously injured.

One patient was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, by air ambulance and the other to South West Acute Hospital by ambulance. Supt McGowan said the third person died at the South West Acute Hospital.

Drummeer Road is currently closed, police said, warning that this could lead to delays on alternative roads.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn said: “The news from Maguiresbridge is tragic and deeply distressing.

“My thoughts are with the victims, their relatives and the local community in Fermanagh. I would urge the public not to speculate and to allow the PSNI to continue their investigation.”

Sinn Fein MP Pat Cullen has expressed her deep shock over the shooting, saying: “Firstly, my thoughts are with the victims and their families at this tragic time.”

DUP MLA Deborah Erskine, who represents the area in the Northern Ireland Assembly, said that the community was “stunned” by the shooting in “a rural, quiet area”.

“Everyone is deeply affected by what has happened this morning,” she said.

UK

Five ‘dangerous’ gang members guilty of murdering boy and man at music video shoot

Published

6 hours ago

July 23, 2025

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Five 'dangerous' gang members guilty of murdering boy and man at music video shoot

Five “violent” and “dangerous” gang members have been found guilty of murdering a boy and a young man at a music video shoot in a north London estate.

The men had gone to the Elthorne Estate in Archway “with the intention of killing anyone they could”, the Metropolitan Police said.

And the group mistook those they attacked for rival gang members.

Lorik Lupqi, 21; Jason Furtado, 28; Abel Chunda, 29; Xavier Poponne, 22; and Eden Clark, 31, were convicted of murdering 15-year-old Leonardo Reid and 23-year-old Klevi Shekaj and attempting to murder 28-year-old Abdullah Abdullahi.

Leonardo and Mr Shekaj were fatally stabbed and Mr Abdullahi was badly hurt when knifemen descended on the event on the night of 29 June 2023.

Leonardo and his brother had been watching a music video being filmed with friends.

Police said Lupqi, a gang member from Islington, saw the gathering at around 8.30pm and took it as an opportunity to hurt those he thought were gang opponents.

He messaged his girlfriend stating that “opps were outside”. She advised him to remain inside, but Lupqi decided to contact his close friend and gang associate Jason Furtado.

They formed a plan and recruited gang members Chunda, Clark and Poponne to travel to the estate.

Lupqi had booked a taxi to pick up the three men from the area of Furtado’s home address in Canonbury, north London, telling the cab firm: “I’m in a little bit of a rush,” the jury heard.

They had worn masks and were armed as they went to the Elthorne Estate where they met Lupqi, the court was told.

By the time they arrived, the filming had ended, and most people had left, but some local children and teenagers remained in the area.

The group then carried out their deadly attack.

The alarm was raised as a black-clad figure wearing a balaclava was spotted crouching down and moving towards Leonardo, his brother and others, with a large knife.

Three more males in black stood up from where they had been hiding behind cars as they edged towards the group, the court was told.

Leonardo was stabbed in the chest, with the wound cutting through his left lung and one of the major blood vessels in his body, causing fatal blood loss.

Leonardo’s brother had run away from the scene but later looped back and saw his sibling lying motionless on the ground, the court heard.

Mr Shekaj was stabbed in the back, with the wound cutting through his left lung and deep into his body.

He was driven to Whittington Hospital by members of the public but he died on arrival.

Detective Inspector Jim Barry said: “These violent men went into this estate with the intention of killing anyone they could, under the false impression that those there were rival gang members.

“This was a senseless, violent act which has shattered the lives of so many, especially Leonardo and Klevi’s loved ones.

“This dangerous group of men will now spend a long time behind bars but the effect of what they did will be felt by the victim’s shattered families for longer.”

The five killers will appear at the same court on 25 and 26 September for sentencing.

UK

Third person dies after shooting in Northern Ireland

Published

6 hours ago

July 23, 2025

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A third person has died in a shooting in Co Fermanagh, police have said.

Two people were killed in the shooting on Wednesday morning, and a third, who was seriously injured, died in the afternoon.

A fourth person was seriously injured in the shooting in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.

All victims were from the same household, Superintendent Robert McGowan, District Commander for Fermanagh and Omagh, said at a news conference.

They have cordoned off the scene in the village of Maguiresbridge, about 75 miles (120km) southwest of Belfast.

“We can advise there is no ongoing risk to the public,” a Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesperson said.

There was no mention of a motive behind the shooting.

A murder investigation has been launched.

Supt McGowan said at the news conference that police don’t anticipate any arrests to be made at this stage.

Emergency services were called to the shooting in the Drummeer Road area of the village at around 8am on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service said.

They confirmed that two people had been injured.

“Following assessment and initial treatment at scene, one patient has been taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, by air ambulance and another to South West Acute Hospital by ambulance,” the spokesperson added.

Drummeer Road is currently closed, police said, warning that this could lead to delays on alternative roads.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn said: “The news from Maguiresbridge is tragic and deeply distressing.

“My thoughts are with the victims, their relatives and the local community in Fermanagh. I would urge the public not to speculate and to allow the PSNI to continue their investigation.”

Sinn Fein MP Pat Cullen has expressed her deep shock over the shooting, saying: “Firstly, my thoughts are with the victims and their families at this tragic time.”

DUP MLA Deborah Erskine, who represents the area in the Northern Ireland Assembly, said that the community was “stunned” by the shooting in “a rural, quiet area.”

“Everyone is deeply affected by what has happened this morning,” she said.