PM Modi and Sunak discuss progress of India-UK FTA negotiations, hope to iron out differences at the earliest

London/New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Rishi Sunak on Saturday reviewed the progress of the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations and expressed hope that the remaining issues could be ironed out at the earliest so that a “balanced, mutually beneficial and forward-looking” trade deal is concluded soon.

During his bilateral meeting with Sunak on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, Modi conveyed his appreciation for the UK’s support during India’s G20 Presidency, marked by high-level participation at various G20 meetings and events, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a press release. This is the 43-year-old British Indian leader’s first visit to India since becoming Prime Minister in October 2022.

The two leaders noted with satisfaction the progress in diverse areas of bilateral cooperation as per the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as well as the Roadmap 2030, particularly in economy, defence and security, technology, green technology and climate change, health and mobility sectors, it said.

Both leaders also exchanged views on international and regional issues of importance and mutual interest. Modi and Sunak “also reviewed the progress of Free Trade Agreement negotiations and expressed hope that the remaining issues could be addressed at the earliest so that a balanced, mutually beneficial and forward-looking Free Trade Agreement is concluded soon,” the MEA said.

In a post on X after the meeting, Modi said: “Great to have met PM @RishiSunak on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Delhi. We discussed ways to deepen trade linkages and boost investment.” Earlier, a readout from 10 Downing Street of the meeting said that cooperation in the field of defence

technology, innovation and some consular issues were among the topics on the agenda

of the meeting.