India-UK CETA TRQ Applications: Deadline Extension Guide
DGFT extends TRQ application window for 2026 quota-restricted tariff lines
India-UK CETA TRQ Applications: What Exporters Must Do Before the Deadline
DGFT has extended the deadline for TRQ applications under the India-UK CETA for 2026. If your products fall under quota-restricted tariff lines, you need to act now. This is an extension of an earlier deadline, not a new one, and there won't be unlimited second chances.
What happened
DGFT's public notice 26/2026-27 extends the submission deadline for TRQ applications under the India-UK CETA for calendar year 2026. Two key points follow from this:
- The original deadline has already passed or was tight enough that DGFT decided to extend it.
- Once this new window closes, late filers lose quota-based preferential access for 2026.
I'm not listing the specific date here because I cannot verify it in a form I can defend. Getting the deadline wrong could cost you a shipment. Check DGFT's public notice 26/2026-27 directly for the exact date.
Why TRQs matter under CETA
CETA was signed on 24 July 2025 in London and gives India duty-free access for 99 percent of its exports to the UK. The remaining one percent is where Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs) come in. In agreements structured like this, TRQs typically cover sensitive categories, agricultural products, dairy, and similar goods where the UK has agreed to quota access rather than full liberalisation. If your product is on the TRQ list, preferential (in-quota) rates only apply if you hold a quota allocation. Miss this deadline and you fall back to out-of-quota or MFN rates. That is a real cost difference, not a filing detail.
What exporters and importers should do right now
Step 1: Check if your HS code needs a TRQ application.
Not every line under CETA requires a TRQ application. Find the quota schedule in the agreement and cross-reference your tariff line against it. DGFT references in-quota and out-of-quota rates against WTO commitments for CETA, so check their formal notices alongside the schedule.
Step 2: File through the DGFT process.
TRQ applications follow DGFT's standard online submission route. Expect to provide documentation of past trade performance or eligibility. Allocations typically work on a first-come basis or through a defined mechanism set by DGFT.
Step 3: Arrange your Certificate of Origin in parallel.
DGFT permits self-declaration for India-UK CETA certificates of origin and has notified approved issuing agencies. A TRQ allocation without a valid Certificate of Origin won't get you through customs at preferential rates. Treat both as one compliance workflow.
Step 4: Check ICEGATE's Rules of Origin guidance for CETA.
ICEGATE has issued guidance on CETA Rules of Origin. If your origin criteria, value addition, or documentation do not match customs requirements, the TRQ allocation alone won't help. Align your sourcing and bill of materials records before filing.
Step 5: Don't count on another extension.
DGFT has extended TRQ deadlines before when uptake has been slow, as with India-Mauritius CECPA and India-Nepal treaty quotas. This extension should be treated as your final opportunity unless DGFT announces otherwise.
Who this affects
Exporters to the UK in TRQ-covered categories, and importers bringing in UK goods under reciprocal quota treatment. The UK represented approximately INR 118,783 crore in India's FY 2025 exports, so a significant portion of UK-trading exporters likely have at least one product line worth checking against the TRQ schedule.
| Market | FY 2025 Exports (INR crore) |
|---|---|
| --- | ---: |
| US | 770,252 |
| AE | 329,685 |
| CN | 172,509 |
| NL | 153,824 |
| GB | 118,783 |
| SG | 105,223 |
| DE | 101,931 |
| BD | 93,467 |
UK trade volume is not the largest, but under CETA it is now a preferential corridor where margins for exporters who handle the paperwork correctly can be substantial.
What to do this week
- Cross-check the CETA TRQ product schedule against your export and import HS codes line by line.
- Confirm the exact extended deadline from DGFT public notice 26/2026-27. Do not rely on secondhand sources.
- Begin your Certificate of Origin process now through a DGFT-notified agency, or prepare self-declaration documentation if you are eligible.
- Review ICEGATE's Rules of Origin guidance for CETA and test your bill of materials and value-addition records against it.
- If you missed the original deadline, file before this extended window closes. Do not assume a second extension will come.
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