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Page 2 - India Uk Relation

India-UK FTA may get watered down amid Braverman's remarks on visas

There are growing fears here that the proposed India-UK free trade agreement (FTA), currently in its final stages of negotiation towards a Diwali deadline, is likely to be watered down amid controversial remarks by UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman on visas. The Indian-origin Cabinet minister seems to be poised for a direct clash with British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who is keen to stick to the looming October 24 timeline for the FTA and is well aware that the ease of movement of students and professionals is crucial to India's objectives as part of a new trade deal. However, Braverman expressed reservations over what she feared would be an open borders migration policy with India under an FTA, casting doubt over the nature of the final agreement. It now appears likely that the prospective UK-India FTA under the Liz Truss government will not be as substantive nor as comprehensive as envisaged by the previous Boris Johnson government, as negotiations on key issues of ...

Updated On : 07 Oct 2022 | 5:32 PM IST

Diwali an auspicious date to sign India-UK FTA: British High Commissioner

Currently, both countries are at the last leg of negotiations towards a trade deal that kick-started in January

Updated On : 20 Sep 2022 | 7:20 PM IST

UK's third female PM Liz Truss 'very, very committed' to India ties

Britain got its third female Prime Minister on Tuesday as Liz Truss, who in her innings as foreign and trade minister batted for stronger bilateral ties with India, took charge at 10 Downing Street after defeating Indian-origin ex-chancellor Rishi Sunak in the Conservative Party leadership race. The 47-year-old senior Cabinet minister is faced with one of the toughest in-trays in the top job as a result of the spiralling cost-of-living crisis in the country, which would rival any of the issues faced by her women predecessors in office, Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May. She must also contend with a fractious party that gave her a smaller margin of victory at 57 to 43 per cent than most recently elected Tory party leaders. But on the India front, the former International Trade Secretary who signed off on the India-UK Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP) for the Boris Johnson led government in May last year is expected to pursue the ongoing free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations towards

Updated On : 06 Sep 2022 | 8:08 PM IST

UK PM-elect Liz Truss committed to 'sweet spot' of ties with India

Newly-elected Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister in waiting Liz Truss is among the senior British politicians known for championing deeper India-UK strategic and economic ties, describing them as a "sweet spot" of global trade dynamics. After all, it was Truss as International Trade Secretary who signed off on the India-UK Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP) for the Boris Johnson led government in May last year, which marked the starting point of the ongoing free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations. The 47-year-old senior Cabinet minister made visits to India and held virtual talks with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, during which she described the country as a big, major opportunity. "I see the UK and India in a sweet spot of the trade dynamics that are building up," said Truss soon after signing the ETP. "We are looking at a comprehensive trade agreement that covers everything, from financial services to legal services to digital and data, as well as goods and agriculture.

Updated On : 05 Sep 2022 | 11:59 PM IST

PM Modi confident India-UK ties will be strengthened under Truss leadership

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated Liz Truss on being chosen to be the next prime minister of the UK and expressed confidence that under her leadership, the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will be further strengthened. UK foreign secretary Truss on Monday defeated Indian-origin former chancellor Rishi Sunak to be named the winner of the Conservative Party leadership contest and will now go on to formally take charge as British Prime Minister as Boris Johnson's successor. "Congratulations @trussliz for being chosen to be the next PM of the UK. Confident that under your leadership, the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will be further strengthened," Modi said in a tweet. "Wish you the very best for your new role and responsibilities," he said. The 47-year-old senior UK Cabinet minister was widely expected to become the third female British Prime Minister after 170,000 online and postal votes cast by Tory members, ending Sunak's historic run a

Updated On : 05 Sep 2022 | 7:43 PM IST

Diwali deadline for India-UK trade pact not to be missed: Commerce secy

Negotiations for the proposed free trade agreement between India and the UK are at the last stage and the deadline of Diwali (in October) would not be missed, commerce secretary B V R Subrahmanyam said on Saturday. In April, both sides had set the Diwali deadline for the conclusion of an India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA). "We are on track (to meet the deadline). We are in the last stages. 19 out of 26 chapters are closed. There are a couple of areas where we are negotiating Diwali deadline is not going to be missed," he told reporters here. Talks are happening on certain goods like cars and spirits from the UK side and certain products from the Indian side. In January, both countries formally launched talks for a free trade agreement to boost bilateral trade and investments. In such pacts, two countries either eliminate or significantly reduce customs duties on the maximum number of goods traded between them besides easing norms for promoting investments and services trade. Ind

Updated On : 03 Sep 2022 | 10:33 PM IST

India proposes retaliatory duties on UK imports for curbs on steel products

India has proposed to impose retaliatory customs duties under the WTO norms on about USD 250 million worth of goods imported from the UK if no agreement is reached on compensation in a case concerning the imposition of restrictions by Britain on steel products. India has raised concerns at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over the UK's move to extend safeguard duty and quota restrictions on the import of certain steel products till 2024. New Delhi has stated that it has substantial trade interest in the sector. According to the WTO, India has submitted its concerns to the UK regarding the manner in which safeguard measures have been extended which is violative of the global trade provisions and the WTO's Agreement on Safeguards. New Delhi has requested compensation under the agreement, it said. The UK has disagreed with India's views on the measures but agreed to discuss adequate means of compensation. "India estimates that the safeguard measures have resulted in the decline of

Updated On : 01 Sep 2022 | 9:19 PM IST

Want to change UK-India relationship, make it 'more two-way': Rishi Sunak

Britain's prime ministerial candidate Rishi Sunak said he wants to change the UK-India relationship to make it a more two-way exchange that opens up easy access to UK students and companies in India. During a campaign hustings event hosted by the Conservative Friends of India (CFIN) diaspora organisation in north London on Monday evening, the former Chancellor greeted the largely British Indian gathering with a mix of traditional greetings such as namaste, salaam, khem cho, and kidda. He even broke into Hindi: Aap sab mere parivar ho (you all are my family)." We know the UK-India relationship is important. We represent the living bridge between our two countries, he said, in response to a question about bilateral ties from CFIN co-chair Reena Ranger. We are all very aware of the opportunity for the UK to sell things and do things in India, but actually we need to look at that relationship differently because there is an enormous amount that we here in the UK can learn from India,"