UK PM Starmer Announces Relaunch of FTA Talks After Meeting Modi

London: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has revealed that tre negotiations with India will resume in new year after his bilateral meeting with PM Modi at G20 Summit in Brazil.

On Monday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met on sidelines of G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Following ir meeting, 10 Downing Street announced that UK aims to establish a new strategic partnership with India, which will include a tre deal and enhanced cooperation in sectors such as security, education, technology, and climate change.

A spokesperson for Starmer said that UK is dedicated to negotiating a tre deal with India, one of world’s fastest-growing economies.

“A new tre deal with India will support jobs and prosperity in UK – and represent a step forward in our mission to deliver growth and opportunity across our country,” Starmer said in a statement released by 10 Downing Street after bilateral meeting.

A statement released in London on Tuesday following Starmer-Modi talks confirmed that both leers agreed to strengn UK-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with a focus on enhancing tre and investment, security and defence, technology, climate, health, and education.

“As part of this y agreed to relaunch UK-India tre talks early next year. y also welcomed recent launch of Technology Security Initiative, and discussed opportunities for furr cooperation on defence and security,” a Downing Street spokesperson said.

“Finally both leers agreed on strength of cultural ties between two countries, providing a strong foundation for furr ongoing cooperation,” spokesperson ded.

Starmer n took to X to term his meeting with Modi as “a very productive.” Earlier, Prime Minister Modi describe exchange as “extremely productive” on his post on X.

He said: “For India, Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with UK is of immense priority. In coming years, we are eager to work closely in areas such as technology, green energy, security, innovation and technology.

“We also want to d strength to tre as well as cultural linkages.” Meanwhile, Downing Street highlighted that Starmer is using his trip to G20 in Brazil to strengn ties with world’s leing economic powers to drive growth and deliver for British people. It came soon after Starmer’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and talks with Prime Minister of Japan Shigeru Ishiba and Australian PM Anthony Albanese.

On India-UK tre talks, Downing Street revealed than Department for Business and Tre (DBT) will soon unveil government’s new Tre Strategy aligned with its Industrial Strategy to help inform all future tre negotiations and achieve long-term sustainable, inclusive and resilient growth through tre.

“India is fifth largest economy in world and a vital tring partner for UK. We believe re is a good deal to be done here that works for both nations,” said UK Business and Tre Secretary Jonathan Reynolds.

“Wher it's lowering Indian tariffs to help British firms export to this dynamic market or boosting investment which alrey supports over 600,000 jobs across both countries, striking a deal is important to deliver this government's core mission of driving economic growth,” he said.

India and UK have been negotiating a Free Tre Agreement (FTA) since January 2022, with talks paused during general elections in both countries earlier this year. According to latest statistics, bilateral tring relationship was worth GBP 42 billion in 12 months to June 2024, expected to be significantly boosted by an FTA.

Labour Party government in UK is keen to highlight a tre friendly message as a means to deliver a strong economy at home. DBT h announced Starmer-led government’s commitment to relaunching talks with all FTA partners soon after winning general election in July.

Since n, negotiations have been kickstarted with Gulf Cooperation Council, Switzerland and South Korea, with UK also set to join Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) on December 15.

While officials on Indian side h expressed ir reiness to resume FTA negotiations from stalled fourteenth round, this announcement of a new year start for talks is first clear signal of a timeframe from British side.

(with agency inputs)