India-UK FTA to weave a future for women in trade
The India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) redefines trade as a driver of women’s empowerment. It will have a first-of-its-kind chapter on ‘trade and gender’, alongside provisions in specific sectors directed at women.
This will include the small and medium enterprises (SME), intellectual property rights (IPR), digital trade, environment, labour, geographical indications (GIs), innovation and technical standards.
The FTA is expected to have an impact across sectors; from the looms of Varanasi to the tech labs of Hyderabad, and from craft clusters in Rajasthan to digital startups in Bengaluru. It will be inked in London today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is at the event in the UK.
The FTA aims to have the future of women – both in rural and urban sectors — woven into the expected growth, setting the stage for Indian women to emerge as participants in world trade.
By dismantling tariff barriers, the FTA empowers Indian women across sectors — from handlooms and heritage crafts to tech-startups and clean manufacturing — to integrate into global value chains, access finance and scale their ventures.
A tariff-free access to the UK’s $23 billion market for labour-intensive goods like textiles, leather and footwear levels the playing field for Indian exporters who previously faced a duty disadvantage against competitors like Bangladesh, Pakistan and Cambodia.
Integrating women into global value chains
At the heart of this leap are India’s women entrepreneurs, artisans and MSMEs — the engines of job creation and exports. The FTA has provisions for training, cooperation and skill development to support women across rural and urban India.
This empowers the hands that weave, stitch, embroider and craft India’s identity. Trade and gender provisions will ensure targeted support for women-led businesses — boosting capital access, focus on capacity-building and training, trade finance and access for women-led cooperatives and self-help groups.
India’s vibrant textile ecosystem is built on the hands and hopes of millions of weavers, embroiderers, dyers and designers, including women working in clusters from Kanchipuram to Bhagalpur, Jaipur to Varanasi. The FTA is expected to amplify their contributions, empowering them to become global trailblazers in fashion, design and premium craftsmanship.
With tariffs eliminated — cut from as high as 12 per cent to zero — this is expected to empower artisans including women to export directly to the UK, opening access to premium global buyers and retail chains.
Geographical Indications (GIs) protect unique, region-specific weaves like Banarasi, Chanderi and Kanjeevaram — ensuring fair value and brand recognition for heritage crafts. Skill development, trade education and digital support under FTA provisions are likely to help SMEs, craftsmen and artisans to access online platforms, improve quality, and manage sustainable production.
Women artisans and IPR
Kolhapuri chappals and similar products, crafted by women and family artisans in Maharashtra and other states and regions, will gain advantage. Duty-free access to the UK’s premium handmade footwear market is likely to enhance artisan incomes.
Simplified compliance, capacity-building and trade finance will enable women-owned MSMEs to scale across all sectors.
IPR protection encourages women entrepreneurs in sectors like biotech, textiles and beauty to innovate confidently. GI protection uplifts rural artisans by recognising their cultural and commercial contributions.
Digital trade and e-Commerce facilitates cross-border digital payments, data flow and cybersecurity, critical for women in tech and crafts business.
India