It's the 13th round of negotiations on a deal intended to expand a trading relationship that was worth more than $24 billion last year
Goyal said both sides had several rounds of negotiations, and 20 out of 26 chapters have been sealed
Earlier this year, Britain initiated consultations with domestic stakeholders on measures such as a potential carbon border tax, which could mimic the EU's carbon border adjustment mechanism.
Out of four pillars, India has joined three pillars - supply chains, clean economy, and fair economy (issues like tax and anti-corruption) and is an observer under the trade pillar
India and the UK are not working under any deadline for the conclusion of negotiations for a free trade agreement as both sides are discussing issues that are "slightly" complex in nature, a senior government official said on Wednesday. Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal said that the two countries are working to finalise the issues as early as possible. "We are not working (under) any deadlines...because there are issues which are of slightly complex in nature and which have economic significance for both the countries," he told reporters here. "So we are looking at those issues much more carefully...so there is no deadline as such, we are working under timelines," he added. Joint Secretary in the commerce ministry and India's chief negotiator for the pact, Nidhi Mani Tripathi, said that the two sides continue to discuss the "outstanding issues" which remained unresolved. "At all levels, there have been continuous exchanges to iron out differences and we intend to close as many as
Indian negotiators are pushing for strict "rules of origin" checks for tradable goods, to make sure that any FTA benefits apply only to goods made predominantly in Britain
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said that India and the UK are currently focusing on a free trade agreement and hoped that the two sides will find a "landing point" which will work for both of them. Jaishankar, who is here on a five-day official visit to the UK with an aim to review various aspects of bilateral ties and give "new impetus to the friendly ties", also said that the agenda 2030 put greater emphasis on connectivity on trade on working together when it comes to defence and security, on health and all climate change. "We are focusing on what is officially called an enhanced trade partnership. In common sense, it's called FTA (a free trade agreement) and that is today very much the focus of what the Indian and British systems are negotiating and where we hope that we will find a landing point which will work for both of us," Jaishankar said. The India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership was launched in 2021 along with the India-UK Roadmap 2030 which seek
India is currently considering a proposal to lower import taxes on British luxury EVs as part of the ongoing India-UK free trade agreement discussions
Critics say the changes would damage India's position as a leading provider of generic drugs - essentially "copycat" versions of those which fall out of patent
British rice millers such as Tilda Ltd. and Veetee Rice have thrived for decades by importing low-tariff unmilled brown rice from the likes of India and Pakistan and "polishing" the grains
Negotiations between senior officials of India and the UK are in "full swing" to bridge differences on issues such as rules of origin and services sector, with an aim to conclude the talks for the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) at the earliest, sources said. They said that a small Indian team is also there in London to iron out differences on the rules of origin. "The 13th round of talks are going on. The tough issues are there in both goods and services such as financial services. Talks are also happening on the proposed bilateral investment treaty," one of the sources said, adding differences on intellectual property rights have been bridged. When asked whether the negotiations will be concluded by the end of this month, the source said both the countries are continuously engaging on the remaining differences and We should wait till these negotiations are over". There were reports that the two countries may finalise the agreement by the end of this month. Commerce Secretary
Negotiations for the FTA are in the final stages, with both countries engaged in weekly discussions
Thirteen rounds of negotiations have been completed so far
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt discuss collaborations in financial services, infrastructure, and trade
Meets Italy and Japan PMs on sidelines of G20
Ahead of his visit to New Delhi for the G20 Summit, UK PM Rishi Sunak said that he is heading to India with a clear focus. He also blasted Vladimir Putin for failing to show up for the mega-event
US raises concerns over India's decision to put import restrictions on laptops, PCs
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said the negotiations between India and the UK for the proposed free trade agreement are progressing and both countries are committed to concluding the talks as early as possible. "We are working hard, we are all committed to a fair, equitable, and balanced trade agreement, respecting each other's sensitivities, respecting the different levels of developments that both the countries have and respecting the future potential that each country brings to the table," Goyal told reporters here. Keeping all of these circumstances in mind, the two countries have made "good" progress and the 12th round of talks is undergoing, he added. When asked about the deadline for concluding the negotiations, the minister said no country in the world works through specific deadlines. "But I would like to see it happen tomorrow, the faster the better We are both committed to a good outcome, at the fastest possible speed," he added. UK Business and
The United Kingdom is keen that free trade pact being negotiated with India is completed at the earliest as it re-focuses its attention of the growing markets of the Indo-Pacific, however the financial powerhouse is not setting any deadlines for the agreements which will include deals on service sector and investments. UK's Minister for International Trade, Nigel Huddleston, in an exclusive interview to PTI said that half the chapters in the deal have already been concluded and work is on to complete the negotiations as soon as possible. We have made good progress on the FTA we have concluded negotiations on half the chapters in the pact. We want a comprehensive agreement on both goods and services. It (the pact with India) is going to be very important as part of our shift towards the Indo-Pacific, the UK Minister said. We are particularly keen to get this FTA with India as we have strong historic ties, he added. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had earlier last week indicated
Free trade agreements (FTAs) need to ensure they provide a level playing field and the India-UK FTA, which recently completed its 10th round of negotiations, has to be a win-win scenario for both sides, the head of India's leading business chambers has said. Subhrakant Panda, President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), was in the UK this week for the FICCI Forum of Parliamentarians, a bipartisan initiative for political outreach. The delegation from India was briefed on areas of interest in the bilateral relationship over a series of discussions with businesses and parliamentarians. As far as Indian businesses are concerned, we are competitive, confident and looking to engage with the world, said Panda. I think what FTAs need to ensure is that they provide a level playing field and are rules-based. It's all about give and take. Clearly, both governments are engaged in intense discussions and 10 rounds have been completed, so I would look at it f