A º£½ÇÊÓÆµ trade deal with India could bring a £150m boost to the West of England economy, according to the department for business and trade.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has signed a free trade agreement worth £6bn with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The near-700 West Country businesses that export to India, in particular aerospace and precision engineering manufacturers, could benefit, the government has said.
READ MORE: {}
Firms in the region currently export nearly £600m worth of goods to India.
Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said: “Firms here in the West Country have told me that these landmark agreements give them real confidence for future sales."
Under the deal, it will be easier for the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ and India to buy and sell goods and services to one another, with tariffs lowered by both nations.
India’s trade-weighted average tariff will drop from 15% to 3%, meaning South West companies selling lamb or gin to India under reduced tariffs will find it easier to access the Indian market, the department for business said. There will also be immediate tariff cuts for unprocessed shellfish from 33% to zero.
Nick Spencer, export and travel retail manager at Southwestern Distillery, which owns Tarquin's Cornish Gin, said: “There are tremendous hurdles for º£½ÇÊÓÆµ spirits producers in terms of entering and succeeding in the Indian market.
Most Read
"The extremely high-import tariffs are probably the most significant barrier to entry we have experienced anywhere internationally.
“The free trade agreement is a fabulous step forward. Since its announcement, we have already received significant new interest from Indian importers and the prospect of success in the Indian market now looks much brighter.”
The deal will also created some 2,200 jobs in Britain, including in the West of England, as Indian companies look to establish or expand in the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ.
Business and trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds added: “The millions brought to the South West each year from the deal we’ve signed with India will be keenly felt across local communities, whether that’s higher wages for workers, more choice for shoppers, or increased overseas sales for businesses."