UK-India Free Trade Deal Stalls Over Copyright and Steel Issues

The United Kingdom and India announced a bilateral free trade agreement on 6 May 2025, including a new chapter on intellectual property. The UK Department for Business & Trade released only a summary of the chapter, noting that work remains to finalise the legal text. The summary mentions coverage of copyrights, designs, trademarks and patents but provides no details on copyright exceptions, referencing only the Berne Three‑Step Test and existing international treaties. Critics note the lack of language on fair‑use or other limitations that could balance rights for education, research and access for the visually impaired.

Separately, the two governments are working to resolve a dispute over steel provisions that is delaying full implementation of the agreement. The India‑UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) was signed in July 2025 and awaits ratification, with the steel issue identified as a key hurdle to completion.