The Diwali deadline

India-UK FTA needs to be expedited

Another Diwali approaches and the free-trade agreement (FTA) between the UK and India, once promised by an earlier Diwali, has not materialised. There are hopes that UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will make a surprise visit to India around Diwali and close the deal, but the number of open issues makes this possibility difficult. Indeed, given the number of open issues, even if an FTA is announced, it will be far shallower and narrower than would be necessary for genuine integration of the two economies.

The political and bureaucratic establishments of both countries are equally responsible for this delay. While the