Heathrow Airport’s on-site express courier handler, CFL, has welcomed the UK’s recently announced trade deal with India, saying it will bring wider benefits to our economy by increasing market reach for exporters, and by improving access to UK markets for goods made in India.
The deal is the third biggest for the UK after agreements were signed with Australia and Japan.
Matt Rye, managing director at CFL, said: “This deal is good for businesses in both countries.
“India is already one of the most important import markets for the UK, so the removal of tariffs on goods like jewellery, clothing and footwear, will only see that importance grow.”
In 2024, India accounted for 2.9% of all imports into the UK, making it our 11th biggest import market.
According to a report on the BBC News website, last year trade between the UK and India totalled £42bn. The UK government has said this deal would boost that trade by an additional £25.5bn a year by 2040.
The BBC report added that India is also forecast to become the world’s third-largest economy in a few years. It aims to grow exports by $1tn (£750bn) by 2030.
Matt Rye added; “We are well placed to meet the needs of the many small UK businesses that want to sell in India, which represents a huge market opportunity.
“For businesses there, we can offer fast, reliable, and cost-effective transport of ecommerce goods into the UK.
“We have seen Indian express import volumes increase by around 30% year-on-year over the last few years, and that is showing no sign of slowing down. Diwali and the pre-Christmas rush have effectively become one long period of peak demand.”
Matt Rye concluded; “The global boom in ecommerce shipments is underpinned by a fast, reliable, and cost-effective courier service.
“We are very well-placed to meet the demands of an increase in ecommerce between the UK and India, and we have over the past year signed deals with airlines that serve the region.
The UK has agreed trade deals in principle with around 70 countries, including the EU.
IATA says 80% of ecommerce goods by value travel by air.
Heathrow Airport processes almost three quarters of all UK air cargo, with an annual value of well over £200bn.
Cargo in and out of Heathrow is more than the sum of all other UK airports cargo shipments taken together.
