3 days Ago By Evening Standard
Sir is to relaunch talks with which were stalled over relaxing visa rules to come to the , No10 has announced. The discussions will reopen at the start of next year, following a bilateral meeting between Sir Keir and Indian PM at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The two leaders agreed to work towards an “ambitious UK-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to take the relationship to new heights in trade and investment, security and defence, technology, climate, health and education”.
But it is far from clear whether a wide-ranging free trade deal can be struck. Britain and India have held a dozen rounds of trade talk negotiations since 2022, Following the meeting between Sir Keir and Mr Modi on Monday, the PM said that a trade deal would help support jobs in the UK, with a trading relationship with India worth £42 billion in the 12 months to June 2024, according to Downing Street. Sir Keir said: “Boosting economic growth is key to improving living standards for working people.
“A new trade deal with India will support jobs and prosperity in the UK and represent a step forward in our mission to deliver growth and opportunity across our country.” The renewed talks will come after Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has described India as a “vital trading partner for the UK”. In a statement marking the announcement, he said: “Whether it’s lowering Indian tariffs to help British firms export to this dynamic market or boosting investment which already supports over 600,000 jobs across both countries, striking a deal is important to deliver this Government’s core mission of driving economic growth.
” In July, Mr Reynolds said the UK intended “to forge better trading relationships with countries around the world”. Discussions between New Delhi and London over a trade deal had stalled under the last government. Former prime minister Rishi Sunak’s administration declined to set a target date for signing off on an agreement.
Earlier this year, the UK and India signed off on a scheme aimed at strengthening co-operation on and technologies..
