FTA an ongoing process, UK govt ready to restart negotiations: Indian envoy

Following a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of G20 Summit in Brazil, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the relaunch of FTA talks in 2025

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Stating that the Free Trade Agreement is an "ongoing process," Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Vikram Doraiswami, said on Tuesday that the new government, under the leadership of Keir Starmer, is ready to restart negotiations.

Following a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of G20 Summit in Brazil, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the relaunch of FTA talks between United Kingdom and India in 2025.

Speaking to ANI, Doraiswami said, "The FTA is an ongoing process. The government that came to power here in the UK in July completed their internal review and is now ready to restart negotiations. We welcome that. Let's not prejudice what happens in the negotiations because the negotiations have to restart. Let's see what happens beyond that."

He noted the increasing bilateral trade between both countries and affirmed hope of a positive outcome from the negotiations.

"The movement of goods and services between us continues to grow and our investments continue to be significant in each other's economies," he said.

Earlier on November 22, Richard Heald, Chair of the UK-India Business Council (UKIBC), said that the FTA between India and the UK holds transformative potential for businesses and bilateral trade.

He stated that the FTA will make a difference by making the commutation between both countries easier.

"If you look at those companies who are not here (India), then the FTA will make a difference. It (FTA) will make it easier and more comforting to come here to India and to get embedded into the economy, be that through a joint venture or be it actually through investment directly," he said.

Further speaking about Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav's visit to the UK to attract investments for the state, Doraiswami expressed his happiness and highlighted the special relationship between the two nations.

"We're very glad that the Chief Minister decided to make his first visit outside the state in his current capacity here to the UK because we think it's an important opportunity - the India-UK relationship is a very special one. It has its long history, it has its long contributions to both countries' development and of course, the role of people of Indian origin has been one of the important binding factors between the two nations and the two economies," he said.

"Chief Minister's focus has really been on trying to explore ways in which the strengths of the UK can be dovetailed with the opportunities that are emerging in Madhya Pradesh. These are primarily around areas of the UK's strength in things like education, technology and the IT sector in particular," he added.

Notably, CM Mohan Yadav is on a six-day visit to the United Kingdom and Germany, aiming to attract investments by engaging with industrialists, business leaders, and government representatives in both nations.