India, UK to resume FTA talks after one-year gap

FTA talks to resume?

- Rezaul H Laskar and Rajeev Jayaswal

NEW DELHI: India and the UK will resume negotiations this week for a free trade agreement (FTA) after a hiatus of almost a year, with British trade minister Jonathan Reynolds travelling to New Delhi to meet his Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal.

After launching the negotiations in January 2022, the two sides held 14 rounds of talks before the process was suspended in May 2024, ahead of general elections in both countries. The two sides had initially set an ambitious target of concluding the negotiations by October 2022 but have faced difficulties in closing the gap on issues such as tariffs, market access and mobility of professionals.

Reynolds is expected to meet Goyal in New Delhi on February 24 before the resumption of talks on the FTA, an official said on condition of anonymity. Goyal and the UK delegation led by Reynolds will discuss various matters pertaining to trade and economy, he said.

"On February 25, the 14th round of talks, which was suspended in May last year, will be resumed and the two partners may move to the 15th negotiating round starting from Tuesday," the official said.