India ships first jewellery consignment to UK under CETA, eyes $2.5 billion exports in three years

India's gem and jewellery industry has dispatched its first export consignment to the United Kingdom under the India UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), marking the beginning of duty free access to one of its key overseas markets. The inaugural shipment, valued at $10 million, is expected to serve as a test case for the sector's ambition to more than triple jewellery exports to the UK to nearly $2.5 billion over the next three years from about $754 million in 2025.

The first consignment comprises gold, diamond, silver and platinum jewellery exported by 27 exporters across six cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Surat, Kolkata, Jaipur and Chennai. It was flagged off at Vanijya Bhawan in New Delhi in the presence of Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, British High Commissioner to India Lindy Cameron and senior officials from the Department of Commerce and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade. Similar ceremonies were also organised across major jewellery manufacturing centres.

The shipment is the first to benefit from the preferential market access created under the trade agreement, which removes UK import tariffs of up to 4% on Indian jewellery. The duty elimination is expected to strengthen India's competitiveness in the UK's $4 billion jewellery import market and improve pricing for exporters.

Duty free access expected to boost exports

"The first jewellery export consignment to the United Kingdom under the India UK CETA is a defining milestone for India's gem and jewellery industry. The inaugural shipment, comprising $10 million worth of gold, diamond, silver and platinum jewellery from 27 exporters across six cities reflects the industry's readiness to leverage the unprecedented opportunities created by this landmark agreement," said Kirit Bhansali, chairman, Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC).

Bhansali added that the agreement "eliminates UK import tariffs of up to 4% and gives Indian exporters a significant competitive advantage in the UK's $4 billion jewellery import market. With zero duty market access, we expect India's gem and jewellery exports to the UK to grow from around $754 million in 2025 to nearly $2.5 billion over the next three years."

Industry executives believe the agreement could benefit the entire jewellery value chain by expanding opportunities for exporters, manufacturers, MSMEs, artisans and designers while improving India's position as a sourcing destination for value added jewellery.

"The India UK CETA is a transformative agreement for India's gem and jewellery sector. It provides our exporters with preferential access to one of the world's most important premium jewellery markets and significantly enhances India's competitiveness. Today's first shipment demonstrates the industry's readiness to seize these opportunities and expand its presence in the UK market," said Antarpal Singh Sawhney, chairman, Northern Region, GJEPC.

According to GJEPC executive director Sabyasachi Ray, the agreement is expected to strengthen the export ecosystem by supporting value added manufacturing, simplifying trade procedures and enabling thousands of exporters and MSMEs to tap new opportunities in the UK.

Beyond exports, the council expects the agreement to attract investments, create jobs and encourage skill development across India's jewellery manufacturing clusters, including Surat, Mumbai, Jaipur, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Thrissur. The trade pact also introduces provisions such as self certification, business friendly rules of origin and mechanisms to address non tariff barriers, measures that industry believes could make it easier for Indian exporters to expand their presence in the UK market.