United Kingdom: United Kingdom (UK) intends to wrap the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India by Diwali and also asserts that UK will not compromise on the quality of the deal for speed and will only sign a deal that meets the interests of citizens of both nations. At the same time, India-UK FTA is hanging in a balance after Britain’s Indian-origin Home Secretary Suella Braverman flagged concerns about visa overstays from India during an interview.
“We do not want to secure this ambitious trade deal, and we do want to seek to conclude talks by Diwali, but we are clear that the UK won’t sacrifice quality for speed and we will only sign when we have a deal
Talks between India and UK have hit a snag and reportedly prime minister Narendra Modi’s UK visit this Diwali has been canceled. New Delhi’s position has hardened in the ongoing negotiations and comments made by Braverman prompted India to say that both nations should honor the understanding with regard to migration mobility.
If the deal is clinched, it would be India’s biggest and most ambitious free trade agreement. Need Delhi is also seeking to claw back half a billion pounds in payments made by Indian workers towards Britain’s social security system as a part of the deal.