Goyal's second London visit fuels FTA hopes

Commerce minister Piyush Goyal made a second visit to London in less than a week on Friday, meeting UK trade minister Jonathan Reynolds in what people aware of the matter said signals negotiating teams are giving final touches to the proposed bilateral free trade agreement.

- Rajeev Jayaswal

NEW DELHI:

Goyal was initially on a five-day tour to three European capitals—London, Oslo and Brussels. According to the minister's post on X from April 28, he was scheduled to spend only two days (Monday and Tuesday) in the UK capital for "engaging discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral trade and investment relations" and to "advance free trade agreement negotiations."

But talks progressed "constructively" in a positive direction, prompting him to return to London on Friday after completing his engagements in Oslo and Brussels, said three people familiar with the development who requested anonymity.

"It is a possibility that the two countries may announce a mutually beneficial India-UK FTA soon. But no one can give any definite timeline. The deal is not final until an agreement is arrived at. A positive outcome is, however, expected," one of these people said.