Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

India-UK FTA talks aim for swift conclusion

The dates for the next round of discussions will be finalised through diplomatic channels.

India-UK FTA talks aim for swift conclusion
Keir Starmer (L) and Narendra Modi during the G20 summit at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Brazil, on November 18, 2024. (Photo by STEFAN ROUSSEAU/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

INDIA and the UK aim to resolve differences and conclude the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) swiftly, as Britain has announced plans to resume negotiations early next year, according to an official statement released on Wednesday (20).

Prime minister Keir Starmer announced the relaunch of trade talks with India following his bilateral meeting with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi at the G20 Summit in Brazil.


The two leaders met on the sidelines of the summit in Rio de Janeiro on Monday (18). After the meeting, Downing Street said that the UK is seeking a new strategic partnership with India, including a comprehensive trade agreement.

Negotiations for the proposed India-UK FTA began in January 2022. However, the 14th round of talks was stalled as both nations entered their respective general election cycles.

“We welcome the UK’s announcement to relaunch the India-UK free trade talks in the new year,” said the Ministry of Commerce.

Highlighting the importance of securing a balanced, mutually beneficial, and forward-looking FTA, the ministry added that India is committed to working closely with the UK’s negotiating team to address outstanding issues satisfactorily.

The dates for the next round of discussions will be finalised through diplomatic channels.

“The FTA talks will build on the progress made previously and aim to bridge the remaining gaps to conclude the deal expeditiously,” the statement said.

Pending issues remain in both goods and services sectors.

Indian industries are seeking greater access to the UK market for skilled professionals in sectors such as IT and healthcare, alongside tariff-free market access for a range of goods.

Conversely, the UK is pushing for significant reductions in import duties on goods such as Scotch whisky, electric vehicles, lamb meat, chocolates, and confectionery items. Britain is also seeking greater opportunities for UK services in Indian markets, particularly in telecommunications, legal, and financial services (banking and insurance).

Additionally, the two countries are negotiating a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT).

The proposed agreement consists of 26 chapters, covering areas such as goods, services, investments, and intellectual property rights.

Bilateral trade between India and the UK increased to £17.07bn in 2023–24, up from £16.29bn in 2022–23.

A virtual meeting between commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal and UK secretary of state for business and trade Jonathan Reynolds took place on 11 July to discuss the next steps for the pact.

During April–September 2024, India’s exports to the UK grew by 12.38 per cent, reaching £5.86bn, compared to £5.21bn during the same period in 2023.

India’s key exports to the UK include mineral fuels, machinery, precious stones, pharmaceuticals, apparel, iron and steel, and chemicals, which collectively account for 68.72 per cent of total exports.

The UK is a priority market in achieving our ambitious £800bn export target by FY30, with exports to the UK projected to reach £24bn by 2029–30,” the ministry stated.

(PTI)

More For You

Anne Burrell Dies at 55: A Fiery Icon of Culinary Television

She remained a central figure on the network, co-hosting the long-running 'Worst Cooks in America'

Getty Images

Celebrity chef Anne Burrell dies aged 55, remembered for fiery spirit and TV legacy

Chef and television personality Anne Burrell, best known for her work on Food Network, has died at the age of 55. Her family confirmed her death in a statement on Tuesday, 17 June 2025, in Brooklyn, New York. No cause of death was given.

Burrell gained widespread recognition for her energetic television presence, signature blonde hair and bold culinary style. Over the years, she became a household name in American food media, with a career spanning restaurants, television, and publishing.

Keep ReadingShow less
The Abyss

James Cameron’s The Abyss pulled from Disney Plus UK after decades-old controversy resurfaces

Instagram/20thcenturystudios

Disney Plus removes James Cameron’s 'The Abyss' in UK over banned rat scene

Nearly four decades after its release, James Cameron’s 1989 sci-fi thriller The Abyss has sparked controversy again, this time on streaming. Disney+ quietly pulled the newly uploaded 4K remaster of the film from its UK platform after complaints resurfaced about a banned scene involving live animal testing.

The specific scene, showing a rat being submerged in oxygenated liquid, has long been a point of contention in the UK. Though the rat reportedly survived the experiment during filming, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) had previously ruled it in breach of the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937. As a result, the sequence was cut from all UK theatrical, television, DVD, and Blu-ray releases. Yet, when Disney+ added the remastered version in April, the uncut version slipped through, triggering backlash from animal welfare groups.

Keep ReadingShow less
Profee Empowers Asian Migrants with Smart Finance Tools

Profee Empowers Asian Migrants with Smart Finance Tools

Learn how Profee supports Asian migrants with smart, secure tools for sending money and managing finances across borders. Trusted. Fast. Built for Migrants.

Asian migrants deserve a fast, secure, and cost-effective cross-border financial solution. Profee is a migrant-friendly money app that stands out among apps for sending money internationally.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mo Chara Terror Charge Sparks Billboard Protest by Kneecap

Mo Chara is being represented by a prominent legal team

Alamy

Mo Chara of Kneecap faces UK terror charge as band erects billboards in protest

Irish rapper Mo Chara, a member of Belfast-based hip hop group Kneecap, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 17 June 2025, after being charged under the UK’s Terrorism Act 2000. The charge stems from an incident in November 2023, when Mo Chara, whose real name is Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, allegedly displayed a flag associated with Hezbollah during a performance at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, London.

Hezbollah is a proscribed organisation under UK law. Under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act, it is an offence to wear, carry or display any article in such a way or in circumstances that may arouse reasonable suspicion of support for a banned group. The offence is punishable by up to six months in prison, a fine, or both.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ahmedabad-air-crash-getty

Relatives carry the coffin of a victim, who was killed in the Air India Flight 171 crash, during a funeral ceremony in Ahmedabad on June 15, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Air India crash: 190 victims identified through DNA, 159 bodies handed over

AT LEAST 190 victims of last week's Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad have been identified through DNA tests, and 159 bodies, including 32 foreign nationals, have been handed over to their families, officials said on Wednesday.

The London-bound Air India flight AI-171, carrying 242 passengers and crew members, crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12. All but one on board died, along with nearly 29 people on the ground, when the aircraft struck a medical complex.

Keep ReadingShow less