India’s upcoming free trade agreement with the United Kingdom will not limit the country’s ability to issue compulsory licences for essential technologies, the government informed Parliament on Friday. Compulsory licensing is seen as a critical public-health tool during emergencies.
Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada said the agreement “does not restrict India’s use of Compulsory Licensing in any form” and introduces no new delays or procedural hurdles. He said “robust safeguards” in the India-UK CETA preserve India’s policy autonomy in public health situations.
Prasada added that the pact gives Indian companies guaranteed, non-discriminatory access to the UK’s public procurement market worth over 90 billion pounds annually, including major systems such as the National Health Service. “This is a massive opportunity for Indian companies, particularly in IT, pharmaceuticals, and services,” he said.
In a separate reply, the minister said negotiations for the India-European Union (EU) free trade agreement (FTA) and bilateral trade agreement with the US are ongoing.
India has so far signed 15 FTAs and 6 Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs) with its trading partners.
These pacts aim to reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers, simplify procedures, and address structural issues to make Indian exports, including textiles, more competitive in partner markets.
