Categories
India news: Landmark trade deal with UK takes effect
India news: Landmark trade deal with UK takes effect
Mahima Kapoor with AP, AFP, Reuters and DPAPublished 07/15/2026Published July 15, 2026last updated 07/15/2026last updated July 15, 2026The free trade agreement allows zero-duty market access for nearly 99% of India's exports to the UK. Meanwhile, US senators have proposed a new bill to impose 100% tariffs on India for buying oil from Russia.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H7MxWhat you need to know
- India-UK trade deal takes effect
- New framework meant to make Indian exports competitive, make British imports cheaper
- US senators introduce bill to impose 100% tariffs on India, China and others over Russian oil
- Millions converge on India's coastal town Puri for one of the world's largest religious gatherings
- Shipping Ministry launches 'Seafarer-First' initiative as Indian sailors die in Gulf waters
This blog has now closed. Here's a roundup of the biggest headlines from India on Wednesday, July 15:
Tired of missing our real-time updates? Click here to add us as a Preferred Source on Google. Then tap the "Star" or "Preferred" to keep DW News at the top of your feed.
Skip next section Thank you for reading!07/15/2026July 15, 2026Thank you for reading!
That's a wrap from us today!
Thank you so much for following this daily iteration of our India news blog. Please be sure to come back tomorrow for more.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H9qTSkip next section Missing Indian sailor confirmed dead07/15/2026July 15, 2026Missing Indian sailor confirmed dead
The body of an Indian sailor, who went missing after a ship was attacked off the coast of Oman, has been recovered, authorities confirmed on Wednesday.
The sailor's father-in-law, an Indian sailor's union and the Indian consulate in Dubai said the man was confirmed dead.
The sailor in question was a 30-year-old maritime engineer from western India. He had been declared missing after the Cypriot-flagged GFS Galaxy was attacked off the coast of Oman on Sunday.
The other 23 crew members, including at least 10 Indians, were rescued off the vessel.
The US Central Command accused Iran of the attack, as both Washington and Tehran vie for the control of the Strait of Hormuz.
At least five Indian sailors have lost their lives between June and July due to attacks on commercial vessels. India's government has repeatedly condemned attacks on commercial shipping and lodged strong protests with both the US and Iran.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H9YLSkip next section US tariff on Russian oil won't impact trade talks: report07/15/2026July 15, 2026US tariff on Russian oil won't impact trade talks: report
India does not expect a proposed US legislation that involves 100% tariffs on countries buying Russian oil to complicate its trade talks with Washington, a Reuters report cited an unnamed source within the Indian government as saying.
The source added that potential tariffs linked to purchases of Russian oil have not been a sticking point in trade negotiations.
New Delhi and Washington have long been negotiating the first phase of a Bilateral Trade Agreement, which was first announced in early 2025. In the last few months, both sides have said a deal was 99% complete but the final 1% remains under discussion.
Here's a detailed analysis of the key sticking points of the US-India trade deal.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H8p7Skip next section Delhi court hears petition to force-feed activist Sonam Wangchuk07/15/2026July 15, 2026Delhi court hears petition to force-feed activist Sonam Wangchuk
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the central and Delhi governments, seeking urgent medical aid for educational reform activist Sonam Wangchuk who is currently on his 18th day of hunger strike.
Wangchuk, members of the satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and its supporters are demanding the removal of India's Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan from office over a national-wide medical entrance exam scandal.
Over 2.2 million aspiring medical students were affected in May when a highly competitive entrance exam's question paper was allegedly leaked. Some students committed suicide under the pressure of retaking the test.
Wangchuk's health has deteriorated in the last 18 days, according to CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke. He said the activist has lost over 8 kilograms (17.6 pounds), significant muscle mass and is visibly weak.
“This humble petition ventures to bring to the attention of this court a very sad and unfortunate situation whereby a social human rights activist who is on protest in exercise of his fundamental rights against a highly criticized government action is virtually committing Harakiri, the famous Japanese term for taking one's own life in front of the nation,” the petitioner stated according to the Indian Express.
The plea also sought directions to force-feed Wangchuk, adding that measures have previously been taken to save the life of a protester.
In the last two days, several Indian politicians and public figures have urged Wangchuk to end his fast and continue the fight against the ruling government.
On Tuesday, Dipke quoted Wangchuk saying: "Don't ask me to end my fast. Ask the government why they won't even have a dialogue."
India's Gen Z 'Cockroaches' protest national exams fraud
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
https://p.dw.com/p/5H8gUSkip next section Air India crash's draft report likely to be ready by October, investigators say07/15/2026July 15, 2026Air India crash's draft report likely to be ready by October, investigators say
A "draft final report" of the Air India Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad, which killed over 250 people, is likely to be ready by October, investigators told the Supreme Court of India.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) said so in an affidavit filed ahead of a July 17 hearing on petitions seeking an independent judicial investigation into the crash, Indian media reported.
AAIB wrote it had conducted a psychological autopsy and evaluation, and had received the psychologist's final report, which was part of the investigation.
However the filing did not identify whose psychological autopsy was conducted.
The bureau also said it has also prepared a cockpit voice recorder transcript.
Several petitioners and India's pilot union have expressed lack of confidence in the AAIB's probe and questioned its preliminary investigation report ,which allegedly sought to direct focus on one of the pilots without conclusive evidence.
Meanwhile, families of those killed are still waiting for answers.
One year after Air India crash, families still seek answers
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
https://p.dw.com/p/5H81WSkip next section Modi lauds India-UK trade deal07/15/2026July 15, 2026Modi lauds India-UK trade deal
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday celebrated the partnership between India and the United Kingdom, hours after a free trade agreement became official.
"This is a significant moment in the India-United Kingdom partnership!" he said in a post on X.
Several government officials and Indian Embassies posted similar words on the deal, in what seems like a coordinated social media campaign.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H8H1Skip next section India launches 'Seafarer-First' initiative to safeguard sailors amid Iran war07/15/2026July 15, 2026India launches 'Seafarer-First' initiative to safeguard sailors amid Iran war
As Indian sailors face the brunt of the conflict in the Middle East, India's Shipping Ministry has launched a "Seafarer-First" initiative to track and safeguard them.
After a review meeting with stakeholders on Tuesday evening, Indian Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced the measures in a post on X.
"I have ordered real-time, vessel-by-vessel monitoring and 24x7 coordination across Gulf waters and a comprehensive operational dashboard to account for every Indian on every vessel, operating in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman," he said.
Sonowal said a dedicated liaison officer would act as "single-point-of-contact for every affected Indian seafarer" for coordination and assistance to their families.
"Every Indian seafarer in the affected region will be individually accounted for, irrespective of the vessel's flag," he said.
The initiative comes after an Indian sailor was killed when Iran attacked two UAE-linked vessels as they passed through the Strait of Hormuz. Ten other Indian sailors were injured in the attack, two of whom were seriously hurt.
On Wednesday morning, Reuters reported that an Indian sailor who went missing after the GFS Galaxy was attacked off the coast of Oman, had died. The Report cited the sailor's Father-in-law and did not elaborate on how he knew of the death.
Indian nationals make up around 12% of the global merchant shipping workforce, leaving them especially exposed to the risks of the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
Indian seafarers pay the price in US-Iran war
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
https://p.dw.com/p/5H7lDSkip next section US reveals revised bill with 100% tariffs on India over Russian oil07/15/2026July 15, 2026US reveals revised bill with 100% tariffs on India over Russian oil
On Tuesday, US senators unveiled a revised version of the Russia sanctions bill that would impose a 100% tariff on five countries, including India, for their purchase of Russian oil.
This version eases a previous threat of a 500% proposed tariff.
The bill, backed by Republicans, Democrats and the White House, seeks to sanction Russian officials and pressure countries like India and China into reducing their dependence on Russian energy.
If it is passed, the bill would impose tariffs on major purchasers of Russian oil.
The top five Russian energy purchasers are India, China, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan.
India's import of Russian oil has long been a point of contention with the US.
India's double bind: Trying to mollify Russia, US
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
In 2025, US President slapped an additional 25% tariff on India for buying Russian crude, causing significant strain on diplomatic ties between New Delhi and Washington.
India has since diversifiedhas since diversified its oil Imports to Venezuela but also maintained that India's policy on Russian oil is based on "cost and availability."
In June, Indian's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar rejected western nations' criticism at an event in Helsinki. Jaishankar accused the United States of hypocrisy on Russian oil, saying that "the US specifically asked India to buy Russian oil to help stabilize the world markets."
"After first imposing tariffs on us last year for buying Russian oil, the US then lifted its sanctions on Russian oil. Let's not pretend there is some great principle involved here," he said.
The proposed US bill comes at a time when India and the US have been negotiation the first tranche of a Bilateral Trade Agreement.
Experts and reports have said that one of the reasons for the deal's delay is that New Delhi wants assurance of no new tariffs from Washington.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H7XISkip next section What changes under the trade deal? 07/15/2026July 15, 2026What changes under the trade deal?
The deal is expected to boost India's exports to the United Kingdom, make British imports cheaper and streamline social security contributions for expats in both nations.
Here's what has come into effect:
- British products such as cosmetics, medical devices, Scotch whisky and English gin will be cheaper
- Lowered duties on Indian clothing, footwear and food products and spices exported to the UK
- UK universities have approval to open new campuses in India
- Indians temporarily living in UK will continue social security continue social security contributions in India without contributing to schemes in UK. And vice versa.
India-UK trade deal goes live
Nearly a year after it was signed, a landmark free trade agreement between India and the United Kingdom took effect on Wednesday.
"The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Agreement on Social Security, have come into force, delivering, covering almost 100% of trade value," India's trade minister, Piyush Goyal, wrote on social media.
It reduces 90% of tariffs on UK goods imported by India.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had called it "a new era for trade and the economy" while announcing the deal in 2025. Negotiations on the deal began in 2022.
Hours before the deal went live, India's Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said the agreement was a "gold standard" and one of the "most ambitious and aspirational free trade agreements" signed by New Delhi, as per The Hindu.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H7NvSkip next section Welcome to our coverage 07/15/2026July 15, 2026Welcome to our coverage
Hello! and welcome to DW's India news blog.
This is Mahima Kapoor reporting from the Delhi Bureau and I will be your guide through the noise of everything that's happening in the world's most populous country.
At the stroke of midnight, a landmark India-UK trade deal came into effect.
Among other things, the deal is expected to boost Indian exports.
In other news, US senators have unveiled a revised bill which, if passed, will impose 100% tariffs on India and four other countries for its import of Russian oil.
And at home, millions of devotees have reached or are on their way to the coastal town of Puri where the Jagannath Rath Yatra will take place on Thursday. Along with managing crowd safety, authorities are also fighting a COVID threat.
Keep reading for all of this and more.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H7NcShow more posts