Brexit strategy may hit India-UK free trade pact

London: The UK government's latest blueprint for Brexit released on Thursday threatens to derail plans for closer trade ties with India as it would prevent Britain from making the kind of concessions on trade in goods that New Delhi seeks, according to details of a confidential report.

The so-called Brexit White Paper has already shaken up Prime Minister Theresa May's leadership following resignations of her Brexit minister David Davis and foreign secretary Boris Johnson, who disagreed with what is seen as a much closer alignment with the European Union (EU) than desired, as it would reportedly make trade deals with other countries more difficult.

Now, according to details of a confidential joint UK-India Trade Review released to Greenpeace Unearthed', it would appear that India would be among the countries unlikely to reap many post-Brexit benefits.

The trade review highlights a range of non-tariff barriers to trade identified by Indian businesses that the Indian government would want the UK to reconsider as part of any new post-Brexit trade deal.