Achi news desk-
Last Updated: March 25, 2024, 2:03 pm IST
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chats with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after his arrival at the G20 Summit venue, Bharat Mandapam in September. (Image: Reuters file)
Get an insight into the British High Commissioner’s views on Indian politics, Gaza peace, and the Russian elections in an interview
The outgoing British High Commissioner has expressed hope for an early conclusion of the free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the UK, but said that “negotiations abhi baki hai mere dost.” Ambassador Alex Ellis, who is about to leave India after three years, in a wide-ranging interview with The Indian Expressthe leaders of both countries made it clear that they wanted an FTA.
“Yeah, we’re definitely closer. Both Prime Ministers made it clear that they wanted an FTA. And it was only last week that they spoke to reaffirm that desire for him. It is not a simple negotiation because you have two economies of similar size, but very different shape. India’s economy is much more agriculture-based, obviously much poorer in terms of GDP per capita,” he replied when asked if the two countries were closer to reaching a trade deal.
“The UK economy is much more integrated in its manufacturing and goods, with the rest of Europe because of the legacy of being a member of the European Union. People on both sides want real new market access. UK-India trade has doubled since 2020. So really, it’s grown a lot, but we can see an economic benefit from having a trade deal,” he said. When asked about the conclusion of the FTA in the wake of discussions on the critical issues of mobility and visa, Ellis said, “Aasaan nahi hai, discussions abhi baki hai, mere dost.”
The India-UK FTA talks, which opened in January 2022, began with an “ambitious” outcome for bilateral trade. The 14th round of FTA talks ended earlier this month with formal talks being put on hold as India moves into election campaign mode. This delay was attributed to the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for the general elections currently underway in India. Several reports said talks are expected to resume in June.
In a phone call on March 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart, Rishi Sunak, reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the bilateral Comprehensive Strategic partnership. They had expressed satisfaction with the progress made under the 2030 Roadmap in various areas including trade, investment, defense and security. They also positively assessed the progress made towards the early conclusion of a mutually beneficial FTA. Earlier, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, in an interview, said that long-term benefits to the economy were the key to such FTA negotiations and that India was seeking a “balanced, fair and just” deal.
