India, UK start FTA negotiations to double bilateral trade by 2030

First round of talks on Jan 17, future rounds every five weeks

India and the United Kingdom (UK) on Thursday formally launched negotiations for an ambitious free trade agreement (FTA) with an aim to first complete an interim agreement by mid-April and subsequently a comprehensive deal by the end of the year, which could double the bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030.

Trade Minister Piyush Goyal and his British counterpart Anne-Marie Trevelyan, who is visiting India, jointly launched the talks for the FTA, which is touted as India’s deepest trade deal yet.

In a joint statement, both sides said the first round of negotiations will begin on January 17, and the next rounds