Cricket diplomacy: UK PM Rishi Sunak may visit India for FTA talks, watch India-England match in Lucknow

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

India-UK free trade agreement as the two countries are considering a visit by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak later this month, a TOI report stated. Sunak was invited by Prime Minister Modi during their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit.

They discussed the progress of the FTA negotiations and expressed optimism about resolving the remaining issues to reach a balanced and mutually beneficial agreement soon.

The invitation to Sunak for a second visit to India is aimed at having more detailed discussions on the FTA and other bilateral matters. Diplomatic sources have indicated that October 28 is being considered as a possible date for the visit.

If the visit takes place, Sunak might also travel to Lucknow to attend the India-England cricket match on October 29.

A source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told TOI that while nothing is final yet, they are hopeful of making more progress in the FTA negotiations before the visit. However, the visit itself will not be contingent upon the completion of the FTA negotiations.

Both sides are committed to taking the necessary time to address the remaining contentious issues, such as mobility of people and import duty concessions on certain items. Even if the agreement is not finalized before the visit, it is expected to expedite the negotiations.

Both India and the UK are eager to reach a deal in the coming months before their respective elections next year.

Initially, the two countries had set a deadline of Diwali in April 2022 for concluding the FTA. However, due to differences on certain issues and political developments in the UK, the deal could not be finalized.