India's trade deal with Britain is a sign of New Delhi's new gradual shift to opening up its markets while shielding crucial sectors from competition and could be its template for future agreements, government officials and analysts said on Friday.

The prime ministers of Britain and India sealed a hard-wrought trade agreement on Thursday that will slash tariffs on products including Scotch whisky and English gin shipped to India and Indian food and spices sent to the U.

India has not given any duty concessions to the UK under the free trade agreement on agri commodities that could adversely affect domestic farmers, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Friday.