Britain and India can ‘overcome’ trade barriers, says PM
Ishi Sunak has signaled there is optimism the UK can strike a trade deal with India after saying the two countries could “overcome” final negotiating hurdles.
Statements from the Prime Minister and No 10 after a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G20 summit suggested new trade terms could be on the horizon.
Mr Sunak, who described his conversation with Mr Modi as “warm and productive”, told broadcasters in New Delhi on Saturday: “There is a desire on our part for a successful trade deal to be concluded.”
“The opportunities are there for both countries, but there is still a lot of hard work ahead and we have to work at it, which we will.”
Downing Street said prime ministers had agreed ministers and negotiating teams would continue to work “at pace” on a free trade agreement.
A trade deal with India, a deal that could give British companies cheaper access to a market of 1.4 billion people, is seen as a big post-Brexit prize by Britain’s Conservative government.
The prime minister, the first British leader of Indian descent, told reporters on his flight from London to New Delhi on Thursday that a deal was “not a given”, but his comments have gradually become more positive since his arrival at the G20 summit.
On Friday, he told Indian broadcaster Asian News International that “tremendous progress” had been made, before continuing with his recent comments and suggesting that the final obstacles could be overcome.
The deal is reportedly being held up by a number of issues, including disagreement over the number of work visas for Indians in the UK and differences over the level of access that British car manufacturers should be given to the Indian market.
Mr Sunak said unlike his predecessor Boris Johnson, who wanted to seal a deal in time for Diwali celebrations in October 2022, he would not set “arbitrary deadlines” for concluding a deal.
With reports suggesting he could return to India in the fall, the Indian government’s goal of ratifying new trade terms by the end of the year could be achieved.
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/narendra-modi-prime-minister-india-boris-johnson-rishi-sunak-b1105964.html Britain and India can ‘overcome’ trade barriers, says PM
