25072025-TTB-01.qxd 7/25/2025 12:44 AM 13 ED RAIDS ANIL AMBANI FIRMS OVER LOAN FRAUD BUSINESS /thetribunechd Page 1 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 145 NO. 204 | 20 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  DELHI PANT SMASHES FIFTY WITH FRACTURED TOE SPORT friday | 25 july 2025 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Bilateral trade to double by 2030 from $56 bn, deal eliminates tariffs on 99% of Indian exports Textiles, gems, EVs win big as pact unlocks $23-bn opportunities; simplified visas for professionals India,UK ink historic trade pact Ajay Banerjee KEY TAKEAWAYS Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 24 India and the UK on Thursday sealed a landmark free trade agreement (FTA) that will eliminate tariffs on 99 per cent of Indian exports, open new markets for British whisky and automobiles and create thousands of jobs in both nations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his UK counterpart Keir Starmer attended the signing ceremony, hailing the pact as a transformative step towards enhancing trade, generating employment and stimulating economic growth. The pact, officially called the comprehensive economic and trade agreement (CETA), was finalised in May after three years of negotiations. It comes amid shifting global trade dynamics influenced by protectionist policies of US President Donald Trump. Indian farmers stand to gain preferential access to the UK’s $37.5-billion agricultural market, with reduced tariffs on key exports such as basmati rice, millets, cotton, fruits, vegetables, spices, tea and coffee. Sectors sensitive for India like dairy, vegetables, apples, cooking oils and oats remain protected, while the UK’s $5.4-billion seafood market will open with duties dropping from 20 per cent to zero. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal continued on page 7 AGRICULTURE ■ Zero duty on over 95% products like fruits, vegetables & herbs, besides processed goods ■ India denies concessions on dairy, apples, edible oils; exports to grow by 20%; target $100 bn TEXTILES ■ Zero tariff on textile imports from India in line with Pakistan, Bangladesh and Cambodia ■ Sectors poised for high growth are ready-made garments, carpets and handicrafts PHARMACEUTICAL PM Modi shakes hands with his UK counterpart Keir Starmer at the signing of the trade pact at Chequers in England. Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and UK Secretary of State Jonathan Reynolds are also seen. REUTERS ❝ It is a blueprint for shared prosperity. On the one hand, Indian goods will get better market access in the UK, on the other, India will get access to UK-made products at affordable prices. — Narendra Modi ❝ It’s the biggest &most economically significant trade deal Britain has made since Brexit. We’ve entered a new global era, which requires us to step up by building deeper partnerships. — Keir Starmer NEW AVENUES AWAIT INDIAN YOUTH | DEAL TO BOOST ENGINEERING EXPORTS BACK PAGE Farmers, food units biggest gainers Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 24 Farmers and food processing units are the biggest beneficiaries of the India-UK comprehensive economic and trade agreement (CETA) as basmati rice, millets, cotton, groundnut, fruits, vegetables, onion, Basmati, fruits and cotton exports exempted from tariff pickles, spices, tea and coffee, among other items, will be exempt from duties when exported to the UK. Agriculture and food processing will have a 14.8 per cent and 10.6 per cent share, respectively, of the agreed products under the CETA that was signed in London at an event attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his UK counterpart Keir Starmer. Food processing — fruit juices, jams, sauces, vegetable continued on page 7 ■ Zero tariff expected to enhance competitiveness of Indian generics in the UK market ■ Surgical instruments, diagnostic tools, ECG and X-Ray machines will not attract any duty GEMS & JEWELLERY ■ Tariff relaxations projected to double gems and jewellery exports to the UK in 2-3 years PM FLAGS EXTREMIST ACTIVITIES, FUGITIVES PM Modi raised concern over increasing activities of pro-Khalistani elements from British soil. He also said top agencies of the two sides were working in close coordination on the extradition of billionaire fugitives from the UK. Today’s issue is of 20 pages, including Four-page Delhi Tribune. c m y b DGCArapsAIover29 safety lapses in a year Shekhar Singh Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 24 Air India is facing intense regulatory scrutiny after aviation watchdog, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), issued four show-cause notices to the airline, citing 29 safetyrelated violations. These breaches include lapses in crew duty norms, fatigue management and training oversight. The DGCA has warned that continued non-compliance could lead to enforcement actions such as monetary penalties or even the removal of senior executives. The notices, dated July 23, follow voluntary disclosures made by Air India to the DGCA on June 20 and 21. Despite these disclosures, the regulator has sharply criticised the airline for Regulator serves notices, warns of strict action FLIGHT ABORTS TAKE-OFF An Air India Express flight bound for Mumbai with nearly 160 passengers aborted take-off at Delhi’s IGI Airport on Wednesday night after the pilots flagged a technical fault inside the cockpit. 2K SNAGS SINCE 2021 The year-wise data presented by the Ministry of Civil Aviation in Parliament has revealed that India’s scheduled commercial airlines recorded 2,094 technical defects from 2021 to 2025. persistent and systemic lapses. One notice stated, “Despite repeated warnings and earlier enforcement measures, continued on page 7 SC stays HC verdict acquitting convicts in 7/11 blasts case New Delhi, July 24 The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the Bombay High Court verdict acquitting all 12 convicts in the 2006 Mumbai train bomb blasts case but said they need not return to jail. The top court further directed that the high court judgment should not to be treated as a precedent. But allows all 12 to stay out of prison A Bench of Justices MM Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh issued a notice to the accused in the case and sought their responses on the appeal filed by the state government. “We have been informed that all respondents have been released and there is no question of bringing them back to continued on page 7 Punjab sacrilege Bill opens Pandora’s box, Ravidassias want scripture in it Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, July 24 The Punjab Prevention of Offences against Holy Scriptures Bill, passed by the Vidhan Sabha last week, has opened a Pandora’s box for the Aam Aadmi Party government, with an important religious sect, having a huge political clout, now demanding that their holy scripture, too, be included in this anti-sacrilege Bill. BEADBI MORCHA MEMBERS MEET PANEL Representatives of the Sarb Dharam Beadbi Roko Morcha, whose member Gurjeet Singh Khalsa has been atop a telecom tower in Samana for over 280 days demanding harsh punishment for acts of sacrilege, reportedly met members of the committee on Thursday. They were informed of the status of the Bill and asked to convince Khalsa to climb down from the tower, now that the anti-sacrilege law was in the works. The Ravidassia community, which claims that 22 per cent of the state’s population comprises Ravidassias, has demanded that its holy book, Amritbani Satguru Ravidass Ji, should be included in the holy scriptures specified in the Bill. continued on page 7