Bilateral Updates

The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between India and the United Kingdom will come into force from July 15 with both sides reaching an understanding on the last-leg issues around Britain’s steel safeguard measures. The date for Entry into Force (EIF) of the agreement was announced by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prime Minister Narendra Modi after their meeting on the sidelines of the G-7 Summit at Evian in France.

India has surpassed the UK to emerge as Sri Lanka's second-largest export market in January-April this year, the Export Development Board said here today. The US remains the island country's largest export market. "India has consolidated its position as Sri Lanka's second-largest export destination, surpassing the United Kingdom, with exports increasing by 8.9 per cent to USD 364.15 million during January-April 2026. However, exports to India recorded a marginal year-on-year decline of 1.41 per cent in April 2026," the board said.

Sri Lanka is seeking strengthening of free trade agreement with India to drive deeper economic engagement between the two countries. “India-Sri Lanka free trade agreement has been in force for over two decades. This is a foundation which can be strengthened and modernised now for the next phase of economic engagement between the two countries,” Sri Lanka’s high commissioner Mahishini Colonne said on Wednesday.