Trade officials of India and the UK will meet in New Delhi on Monday to discuss thorny issues of the proposed free trade agreement (FTA), the much-hyped deal delayed over a range of issues including the domestic politics of Britain. The last round of talks was held on July 29.
During the sixth round of negotiations, officials of the two countries will deliberate upon the issues such as market access for automobiles and whiskey, as well as visa rules for workers and students, government procurement, and financial services.
UK Secretary of State for International Trade Kemi Badenoch and her Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal will meet on Tuesday, the first meeting after UK’s new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak took charge in October this year.
Providing details of the negotiations, India’s minister of state for commerce and industry Anupriya Patel said in the parliament that both sides are engaged and working together with the aim to conclude the negotiations at the earliest.
''Trade in goods, including passenger vehicles, is one of the areas under negotiations based on overall package of gains and give-aways, which takes into consideration the ambitions and sensitivities of both the sides,'' Patel said, adding the negotiations are currently underway.
On the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, Sunak held conversations with Indian PM Narendra Modi, saying he urged teams to work quickly to bring a “successful conclusion to those negotiations.”
About 19 of the total 26 chapters of the FTA have been more or less settled. However, Sunak indicated that his government would prioritize "quality over speed."
Earlier, Sunak approved 3000 visas for young Indian professionals to live and work in the UK each year under the migration and mobility partnership, an issue that delayed the negotiation under the Liz Truss government. India wants a liberal visa regime for workers and students.
The FTA negotiations launched in January 2022 with an aim of doubling bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030.