UK Prime Minister Sunak reaffirms dedication to finalizing a free trade agreement with India.

04 Oct, 2023

UK Prime Minister Sunak reaffirms dedication to finalizing a free trade agreement with India.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has restated his commitment to strengthening ties between India and the UK, with a focus on securing a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two nations. Speaking at an event hosted by the diaspora group Conservative Friends of India (CFIN) during the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, Sunak highlighted the success of his recent visit to India for the India-led G20 Summit.

Sunak emphasized the strong bilateral relationship between the two countries and expressed optimism about future collaboration in areas such as trade, defense, innovation, security, and research. He specifically mentioned his hopes for a free trade deal and expressed his determination to make it a reality.

The 43-year-old leader, who is leading his first Conservative Party conference as the head of the governing party, underscored his commitment to further developing the India-UK partnership as two democratic nations that can shape the world's future positively.

Sunak's commitment to an India-UK FTA was initially made during his visit to New Delhi for the G20 Leaders' Summit in September. He acknowledged that negotiations would not be rushed and stressed the importance of a comprehensive agreement.

Despite diplomatic tensions between India and Canada over the pro-Khalistan extremism issue, Sunak's spokesperson at 10 Downing Street reaffirmed that trade talks with India were progressing as planned. The UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT) reported that bilateral trade between the UK and India reached an estimated £36 billion in 2022.

Regarding the timeline for finalizing the FTA, UK Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch stated that no specific deadline had been set. While progress had been made, she emphasized that setting a strict timeline was not a priority. Discussions would continue until both parties were satisfied. Badenoch had previously reviewed the progress of trade talks with India during her visit in August, coinciding with Round 12 of the FTA negotiations.