FTA implementation as soon as humanly possible: UK PM

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday called for the free trade agreement (FTA) with India to be implemented "as soon as humanly possible", as the two countries seek to deepen economic ties amid turbulence triggered by the trade policies of the US.

- Rezaul H Laskar [e-mail]

Addressing British business delegates at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai at the start of a two-day visit, Starmer said he had instructed officials to move quickly on the FTA signed in July after three years of start-stop negotiations.

"It provides huge opportunities," Starmer told members of the 125-strong delegation, including CEOs and entrepreneurs, accompanying him. "I think the opportunities are already opening up ... Our job is to make it easier for you to seize the opportunities."

Starmer, on his first visit to India as PM, will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday and the two leaders will address the Global Fintech Fest. India and the UK have said they intend to ratify the FTA so that it comes into effect next year.

The visit follows Modi's trip to the UK in July, when the trade deal was signed and nearly £6 billion in new investment and export wins were confirmed. Starmer will seek to secure investments and seal deals that drive growth for both countries, the UK high commission said, describing India as "one of the UK's most important economic partners".