Trade deal between UK and India unlocks exciting opportunities for seafood businesses

Our Regulatory Affairs Advisor, Mathew Noakes, provides an insight into what this means for UK seafood businesses. 

In the summer of 2025, the UK and India formally signed the UK–India Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). The agreement will create new opportunities for both seafood exporters and importers. 

What the new agreement means for UK seafood importers and exporters 

The new agreement removes UK tariffs on seafood products imported from India that meet the origin requirements. This applies immediately when the deal is implemented, with no phase-in period.  

For UK importers, Indian seafood that meets the origin rules will enter duty-free, allowing more affordable imports for those already sourcing products from India and making Indian products more competitive in the UK market. Notably, UK importers will also now benefit from tariff-free access to Indian frozen shrimp compared to the 4.2% rate importers have usually experienced.  

For UK exporters, the deal provides improved access to the Indian market and processing industry. Exporters have immediate tariff-free access to the Indian market, provided products meet the origin requirements. Seafood caught or farmed in the UK will qualify easily, while processed seafood can benefit if it is transformed into final products in the UK. This can be particularly beneficial for accessing India’s substantial processing industry which, as of this agreement, will become a more affordable and accessible industry to those seeking overseas processing.

How to qualify for the rule of origin  

The agreement enables tariffs to be removed on seafood products that meet the rules of origin criteria through two different pathways. 

One pathway is for chapter 03 seafood products, unprocessed or minimally processed products, to meet the ‘wholly obtained’ rule. This entails that seafood must either be caught by vessels registered and flagged in the UK or India, or farmed within those territories. Any products beyond minimal handling in a third country will void the ‘wholly obtained’ status and lose the ability to qualify for preferential tariff rates. 

Another pathway is through chapter 16 seafood products which refers to products that have been processed, such as canned fish. Here, the agreement allows chapter 16 products that have ‘substantial transformation’ to obtain originating status and thereby preferential tariff rates.  

This means that if a raw fish is processed in the UK or India into a chapter 16 product, for example a fish that has been canned, the resulting product qualifies as originating in the UK or India regardless of the original origin of the raw material. However, it must be noted that chapter 16 products imported from a third country will not meet the rules of origin criteria despite being further processed in the UK or India.  

Commitments to a closer SPS relationship 

The agreement also sets out commitments on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures. These measures are the rules and regulations countries put in place to protect people from health risks which may occur in international trade - particularly in food. The shared commitments are intended to make trade easier while protecting human, animal, and plant health, enabling a closer SPS relationship with India.  

This part of the agreement focuses on transparency, cooperation, recognition of regional disease-free zones and the possibility of accepting each other’s standards if they achieve the same level of protection. It also includes provisions on audits, emergency measures, and technical cooperation. 

However, it is important to note that many of these provisions are aspirational rather than binding. They encourage dialogue and collaboration but do not force either side to lower their own standards or accept the other’s measures automatically. The practical impact will depend on how actively the UK and India use the SPS Subcommittee and other mechanisms to resolve issues.

Next steps 

Overall, the UK–India CETA offers new opportunities for both exporters and importers in the seafood sector, with tariffs removed and origin rules that support trade in both directions. 

If you would like to read the full legal text of the trade deal, please find it here. 

For any seafood business looking for tailored advice based on your individual circumstance, please contact our trade and regulation team at regulation@seafish.co.uk.