UK keen to stick to Diwali deadline for free trade pact, says India

Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said the UK is keen to stick to the Diwali deadline for India-UK free trade agreement and both countries are working towards it.

He referred to the passing away of Queen Elizabeth II and said "as we are expanding our engagements, the UK is at a cusp".

"Two days ago, I received a letter from the UK again reiterating that they want to stick to the Diwali deadline (for the India-UK Free Trade Agreement)," Goyal said.

Speaking of India's engagements and the quest to become self-reliant, Goyal said, "If we don't engage with the international market, we are the losers...Today the whole world is talking of Atmanirbhar...There is no power that can stop us from becoming a developed nation in the next 25 years...The world wants to engage with us, the world has more confidence in us than we have."

Earlier, in the day, British High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis said that India and the United Kingdom have the high ambition of completing the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by Diwali this year.

He said that the agreement will increase employment and bring economic development to India over the next 25 years.

(ANI)