The right's attack on India trade deal is envious fakery

The India-UK trade agreement is a good deal that will promote growth by a small amount – every little helps – but it is being attacked by the Conservatives, Reform and the right-wing press in a welter of hypocritical opportunism.

- JOHN RENTOUL

The deal's critics know perfectly well that it contains a sensible tax measure that will not increase the number of visas issued to Indians, but they have seized on the chance to put "national insurance contributions" and "cut" in the same sentence to pretend that this is favourable tax treatment for immigrants.

It is no such thing. The deal includes a clause that will extend protection from being taxed twice for Indian workers temporarily posted to the UK and for British workers temporarily posted to India.

These arrangements to prevent "double taxation" are standard and already exist between Britain and many other countries.

Indeed, one already exists between Britain and India, but it allows only one year of protection; that will now be increased to three years.

It means that Indian workers on short-term contracts who are posted to the UK and who continue to pay social security contributions in India will be exempt from paying national insurance contributions here for up to three years. And vice versa.