Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has expressed “cautious optimism” over the ongoing India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations after his ministerial discussions in the UK over the past few days.
Addressing a session Chatham House session, he said: “It’s a very complicated process. So, given the complexity, it’s natural that it would take time.
“From my discussions with Prime Minister Starmer, Foreign Secretary David Lammy and [Business] Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, I got a consistent message that the British side is also interested in moving forward. I had a few points to convey on behalf of my concerned colleagues as well. So, I'm cautiously optimistic and hope that it doesn’t take that long.”
It came after “wide-ranging and productive” talks over two days at Chevening House in Kent, where Jaishankar and his wife Kyoko were hosted by UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
“Dr Jaishankar and I are supercharging our £41 billion trading relationship with India, after trade talks were relaunched in Delhi. It is the floor, not the ceiling of our ambitions that will benefit both our economies,” Lammy said in a statement released by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) ahead of the talks.
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Both leaders are also believed to have covered opportunities for citizens in both countries that will come from closer collaboration in sectors such as Artificial Intelligence, telecoms and critical minerals. Opportunities include more effective and affordable healthcare and more resilient supply chains, as well as greater innovation, investment and job creation, FCDO said.
During his visit covering the UK and Ireland, the Indian foreign minister will inaugurate new Consulate Generals of India in Belfast and Manchester.
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