Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 12:38pm on 25 Aug 2023,Friday Business
Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Friday that a free trade agreement (FTA) with the UK is close to being finalised and will happen "very soon". Speaking at the B20 Summit, she also indicated FTA talks with Canada may begin soon. This follows UK Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch stating on Thursday that FTA negotiations with India have entered their final stages. Badenoch noted the two countries are actively discussing business mobility under the proposed deal, while clarifying that overall visa liberalisation is not part of trade pacts. Sitharaman expressed confidence that India's GDP numbers for the first quarter will be good, stating the country's economy has performed well in Q1. Her comments signal momentum on finalising the India-UK FTA amid ongoing discussions on mobility issues between the two countries.
