Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

India, UK discusses ways to promote trade, investments

India and the UK have held discussions on promoting bilateral trade and investments between the two countries, an official statement said on Monday (8).

The talks were held between India's minister for commerce and industry Piyush Goyal, and UK secretary of state for international trade Elizabeth Truss MP on February 6.


Both the ministers agreed to deepen trade cooperation between the two countries through an Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP).

"They also reviewed progress in removing market access barriers on both sides and ongoing cooperation in response to COVID-19," the commerce ministry said.

It added that the two sides reviewed the ongoing engagements between the two sides for an ETP to develop a roadmap that would lead to a potential comprehensive FTA (free trade agreement), including considerations on an interim pact on a preferential basis.

"In a significant step forward, the ministers agreed that this partnership would formally be launched during the visit of the UK prime minister to India, later this year," it said.

The two countries also expressed commitment to relaunch the UK-India CEO Forum and agreed on the Forum's meeting at the earliest.

More For You

John Xavier

In 2019, Xavier founded London Baron Limited, with Manavatty as its flagship product.

John Xavier

How John Xavier turned Kerala’s traditional arrack into Manavatty — a rising UK spirits brand

Highlights

  • Manavatty now available in over 250 off-licence shops across the UK and expanding to 20 countries.
  • Brand won bronze at London Spirits Competition 2025 and Spirit Bronze 2025 at International Wine and Spirit Competition.
  • Scottish National Party auctioned signed Manavatty bottles at Edinburgh for party fundraising.
When Scotland's first minister John Swinney signed a bottle of Manavatty at the Scottish National Party convention in Edinburgh on (November 15), it marked an extraordinary milestone for an entrepreneur who had resurrected a spirit banned in his native Indian state.
With Scotland's SNP elections approaching in 2026, the party selected Manavatty for their traditional fundraising auction, a recognition that few immigrant-founded brands achieve.

"It's a tradition for the SNP political party to keep a product at an auction and take the funds for party welfare," explains John Xavier, the man behind this unlikely success story.

John Xavier Manavatty was selected for SNP's traditional fundraising auctionJohn Xavier

Keep ReadingShow less