PM Modi likely to visit UK this month; India-UK FTA signing on the cards

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to travel to the United Kingdom by the end of this month for a visit that could see both sides formally ink the landmark India-UK free trade deal and explore ways to expand bilateral ties in defence and security sphere, diplomatic sources said on Tuesday.

Both sides are in the process of finalising the dates for PM Modi's visit to the UK by the end of July or the first part of August, they said.

Earlier, there were indications that British PM Keir Starmer will visit India first. It is learnt that the British prime minister may visit India later this year.

India and the UK are expected to formally sign the free trade deal during PM Modi's visit to London, the sources said.

In May, India and the UK sealed the free trade agreement that is expected to benefit 99 per cent of Indian exports from tariffs and will make it easier for British firms to export whisky, cars and other products to India, besides boosting the overall trade basket.

Along with the FTA -- the biggest the UK has done since leaving the European Union -- the two sides also sealed a double contribution convention.

PM Modi had described the two pacts as a "historic milestone" to catalyse trade, investment, growth and job creation in both economies and further deepen the India-UK comprehensive strategic partnership.

The trade deal, firmed up after three years of negotiations, is expected to ensure comprehensive market access for Indian goods across all sectors, and India will gain from tariff elimination on about 99 per cent of tariff lines (product categories) covering almost 100 per cent of the trade values, according to officials.

A British readout had said Indian tariffs will be slashed, locking in reductions on 90 per cent of tariff lines, with 85 per cent of these becoming fully tariff-free within a decade.

In 2023-24, India was the UK's second-largest source of investments in terms of the number of projects for the fifth consecutive year.

During PM Modi's visit to the UK, both sides are also expected to explore ways to expand defence and security cooperation.

The two sides may also deliberate on the implementation of the Technology Security Initiative (TSI).

In July last year, India and the UK firmed up the Technology Security Initiative that sets out a bold new approach for collaboration in a range of priority sectors, including telecom, critical minerals, semiconductors and artificial intelligence, with a broader aim to elevate their strategic partnership to the next level.

The TSI would also provide for a framework for building a broad UK-India semiconductor partnership that will leverage each other's strengths and incentives and explore mutually beneficial research and development as well as supply chain resilience.

It also seeks to build upon the ambitious cooperation agenda set out in the India-UK Roadmap 2030.