Rishi Sunak says would only agree trade deal with India if it benefits Britain
Narendra Modi at the G7 Summit in Japan. Both the leaders had discussed progress on a India-UK free trade deal, Sunak's office said.
Modi and Sunak had agreed that their teams would continue to work at pace to finalise a mutually beneficial deal, added the Sunak's office. In August, commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal had said that the 11th round of negotiations in London was “very intense" and many issues got closed.
Out of the total 26 chapters in the proposed FTA, 19 had been closed. He had also said that the investment was being negotiated as a separate agreement (bilateral investment treaty) between India and the UK.
The main issues that could come up for discussion in the 12th round include an investment treaty, reduction of duties on auto and whiskey, rules of origin, intellectual property rights (IPRs), and matters pertaining to services, Barthwal had said. The UK is seeking a significant cut in import duties on goods such as scotch whiskey, automobiles, lamb meat, and certain confectionary items.
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