UK kick-starts preparations ahead of talks on trade deal with India

The UK on Tuesday launched a 14-week consultation to seek views of the public and businesses, as it gears up for a trade deal with India, according to an official statement released by the UK government.

Free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations are expected to begin around autumn this year. Earlier this month, India and the UK inked a slew of pacts, including the launch of an enhanced trade partnership (ETP), which would include negotiating a comprehensive FTA and an interim trade agreement for delivering early gains.

Both nations had decided to work towards a roadmap for concluding pre-FTA discussion by year-end.

“The UK wants a deal that slashes barriers to doing business and trading with India’s £2 trillion economy and market of 1.4 billion consumers.