The India-UK and India-EU trade agreements can lower or remove import duty on many Indian goods, including some spices and processed foods. The saving applies only once an agreement is in force, only to the tariff lines it covers, and only when you hold valid proof of Indian origin.
Status and schedules change, so check the current position with your customs authority before you rely on any duty saving.
Where things stand
India and the UK signed a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement in 2025. It needs ratification and an entry-into-force date before any duty cut applies. India and the EU relaunched negotiations in 2022 and have moved towards a concluded agreement, but signature, ratification and entry into force are separate steps.
At the time of writing, check the UK government and European Commission trade pages for the latest status, the tariff schedules and any staging, where duty falls over several years.
Many whole spices already enter the UK and EU at low or zero duty. In that case an agreement changes little on duty, though it may help with other trade terms. The effect is often bigger for processed items such as spice blends, sauces, pickles and some oils.
- Check the current duty for your exact HS code. See what import duties apply to Indian spices.
- Check the agreement's rate and staging for that code.
- Check the rules of origin, especially for blends with non-Indian ingredients.
- Check the proof of origin required and who may issue it.
What does not change
A trade agreement does not relax food safety rules. Pesticide limits, contaminant limits, border checks and labelling rules still apply in full. For the EU, residue limits are set under Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, and contaminants under Regulation (EU) 2023/915. A cheaper duty does not help if a lot is rejected at the border.
Preferences also do not change Indian rules. Export restrictions, registration with the Spices Board and documentation still apply.
What to put in your contract
For other schemes, read what preferential duty schemes apply to Indian agri products.
- Who provides the origin document, and in what form.
- What happens to price if the preference is refused or delayed.
- A statement of ingredient origin for any blend.
- A duty to keep origin records for the period your customs law requires.
Before you change your pricing
Do not build a duty saving into your selling price until the agreement is in force and you have cleared one shipment under it. Ask your broker to confirm the preferential rate on a real entry. Then check that the supplier's origin documents were accepted without query. After that first clearance, you have a tested process to repeat, and a figure you can rely on in your costings.
Where we come in
We check that the processor can prove Indian origin for every ingredient in a blend and can issue the origin document your broker needs. Ask for a free sourcing review.