New Delhi, May 27 -- If you're hoping for cheaper single malt whisky or British electric vehicles on Indian roads in 2025, the wait is far from over.

The implementation of the India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) is expected to take at least 10 months from the date of signing, meaning the deal is unlikely to come into effect before the latter half of 2026-assuming all goes as planned. The two sides concluded negotiations for an FTA on 6 May, but a final deal is yet to be signed.

"After signing, the UK's accession to CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) took 10 months, and a similar timeline is expected for the India FTA," a senior British official told Mint on condition of anonymity, noting that t...