With the UK having secured a trade deal with India, revised tariff arrangements with the US and agreed changes to Brexit policy, how do you view the country’s current trade direction? Do the developments mark genuine progress, or will long-term success only be delivered through a renegotiated deal with the European Union?
The key point is that the UK is open for business – to create and maintain quality jobs and skills at home – and there is growing optimism about the direction of UK trade.
The UK’s biggest trading partner remains the European Union, and the recent reset deal has helped reducesome post-Brexit trade friction.
Further deals with the US – the world’s biggest economy – and India – the world’s most populous country – demonstrate the UK’s desire to diversify and grow sustainably in the post-Brexit landscape.
The UK formally joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership in 2023, becoming the first European country to do so.
That partnership is a free trade agreement between 11 countries across the Asia-Pacific region – Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.
It gives UK businesses access to a region that accounts for around 14 per cent of global GDP, so represents a significant opportunity.
As ever, the devil lies in the detail, and the task now is to turn these opportunities into workable trading systems – not least around certification and regulatory compliance – and realise their full benefit.
That is the challenge for the second half of this decade.
The UK-India trade deal isn’t just a policy announcement, it’s something to which we feel a personal connection.
We’ve spent more than a decade building an exceptional development team in India; its dedication, loyalty and technical expertise shines through in everything we deliver.
This agreement presents new opportunities to strengthen our relationship.
With fewer barriers to bringing skilled professionals to the UK, we can integrate our teams more closely, which not only improves our service delivery but creates new opportunities for shared learning.
The incredible talent within our Indian team can help upskill and bring fresh perspectives to our UK teams.
Additionally, this deal potentially unlocks further investment in talent,training and innovation, while supporting the growth of the UK tech sector, especially in regions like ours.
I view the UK’s broader trade direction as genuine progress.
The Government appears focused on establishing strong relationships with countries that offer long-term value, which is a prudent move.
However, a closer, more practical trading relationship with the European Union would also bring significant benefits.
Future success will likely depend onthe UK’s ability to remain flexible, with ever-strengthening global ties, while maintaining its most vital European partnerships.
The recent trade agreements with India and the US certainly indicate a proactive approach to global commerce post-Brexit.
Such deals may help open doors for some sectors, particularly goods and investment, but for companies like T12 Engineering, operating primarily in services, the practical impact is more nuanced.
Services aren’t typically subject to tariffs, so the benefits hinge more on regulatory alignment, recognition of qualifications and ease of cross-border collaboration.
While these trade deals are welcome signs of progress, long-term success likely depends on securing broader and deeper agreements, particularly with the European Union, which remains our largest trading partner.
Anything that reduces friction for services will encourage quicker decision-making and smoother operations, particularly for those businesses working across borders.
Exchange rate volatility remains a more immediate concern for globally- focused firms.
Stability in currency markets may ultimately have a greater day-to- day impact than high-level trade announcements.
In that sense, the UK’s current trade direction is a step forward, but not adefinitive solution.
Strategic partnerships are important, but for sectors built on expertise, agility and responsiveness, clarity and stability – both regulatory and economic – are key to long-term competitiveness.
The US is our main export market, so we are monitoring the situation around the proposed trade deal very closely.
At the moment, things are still very uncertain, which is making business planning, both in the short and long term, very difficult.
However, if the UK can achieve sign-off on the trade deal with President Trump, that will make a huge difference to businesses like ours.
Thankfully, the situation with the European Union has now stabilised, which is a good thing for those firms that import and export.
There is a lot of bureaucracy, though, so I think if the Government could negotiate a better deal, which simplifies the process, that would really improve things.
In general terms, I think all of the activity around trade deals the Government is working on is positive.
However, there are a lot of different nuances between different countries and regions, which must be factored into relationships as we move forward.
July 25, 2025