Business tycoons in India and the UK have welcomed the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), set to deepen economic ties between the two nations.

Sunil Bharti Mittal, founder and chairman of Bharti Enterprises and co-chair of the India-UK CEO forum said the agreement establishes a modern, forward-looking partnership that will “stimulate innovation, ease market access, and foster investment.” He emphasised that it lays the groundwork for scaling up bilateral cooperation across key sectors.

Tufan Erginbilgic, CEO of Rolls-Royce Plc, welcomed the “landmark” agreement and said that the company is looking forward to co-developing power and propulsion technologies with Indian partners, promising job creation, technology development, and manufacturing growth.

“This agreement marks a great moment for both Scotch and Scotland, and we’ll be raising a glass of Johnnie Walker to all those who have worked so hard to get it secured,” said Nik Jhangiani, interim chief executive, Diageo.

“India is the world’s biggest whisky market by volume, and greater access will be an eventual game changer for the export of our Scotch whisky brands, such as Chivas Regal and Ballantine’s. The deal will support long-term investment and jobs in our distilleries in Speyside and our bottling plant at Kilmalid and help deliver growth in both Scotland and India over the next decade,” said Jean-Etienne Gourgues, chairman and CEO, Chivas Brothers.

Anish Shah, Mahindra Group CEO & MD, said the trade agreement is a “blueprint for a modern, values-led partnership” and a testament to India’s growing stature.

Anil Agarwal, Vedanta Group chairman, said the trade agreement will be a “win-win” for both countries, boosting economic activity.

TVS Motor Company MD Sudarshan Venu said the company will benefit from the strengthening of trade links between India and the UK. “It energises our global ambitions and strengthens our resolve to build world-class products,” he said.

FICCI president Harsha Vardhan Agarwal said the signing of the India-UK FTA marks a key milestone in India’s evolving trade architecture, aligning with its vision of deeper global economic integration.