For the maritime industry, the deal is about more than tariffs. As the engine behind global trade, it will play a critical role in realising the agreement's potential, with new opportunities emerging across port services, logistics and maritime collaboration.

The agreement takes a distinctive approach to maritime services. While India has maintained protections in areas such as cabotage and parts of its shipping market, the deal opens up non-discriminatory access to key port services and signals opportunities for businesses looking to strengthen their presence in one of the world's fastest-growing economies.

On 15 July UK Chamber CEO Rhett Hatcher joined government and business leaders at Lancaster House for a UK Government celebrations held both in the UK and India to mark the agreement's entry into force.  

Want to understand what the deal means in practice for maritime businesses? Read Katrina Ross's full analysis of the maritime services provisions and their implications for operators, ports and maritime service providers.