Sunak and Modi bolster UK-India trade talks

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Rishi Sunak and Narendra Modi have injected greater impetus into UK-India trade talks, instructing ministers and officials to work “step by step” towards a deal.

The British Prime Minister and the Indian Prime Minister met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in New Delhi on Saturday, hugging each other, slapping each other on the back and laughing, displaying a surprisingly warm chemistry.

Sunak, the first British Prime Minister of Indian origin, will visit India this weekend for the first time since taking office. His travels sparked interest in India and was mentioned on the front page of this week’s Times of India.

After the bilateral meeting, Sunak expressed confidence that London and New Delhi could “overcome” the obstacles to a free trade agreement, stressing that “we both want to see a successful trade agreement”.

Ahead of the visit, British officials were cautiously hopeful that a deal could be reached before Diwali on November 12, which would raise the possibility of Sunak visiting India for a second time this fall.

After meeting with Modi, Sunak also emphasized the prospects of deepening bilateral cooperation in the fields of defense and security, education and research. The British Prime Minister said that India will be “one of the most important geopolitical players” in the coming decades, adding that it was crucial for the UK to maintain close relations.

Downing Street said the two leaders had had a “productive” conversation about the deal, adding that they “agreed that ministers and negotiating teams will continue to work hard to reach a (free trade agreement)”.

While problems remain, the UK hopes to reach a deal that will expand the Indian whiskey and automotive markets while increasing services and investment opportunities. At the same time, India hopes to boost exports of manufactured goods and services to the UK and secure more work visas for its citizens.

Since Sunak entered No. 10 last October, UK-India relations have gone through a cooling period, including in March when Sikh separatists in London tore down the flag of the Indian High Commission during a protest. This prompted a suspected tit-for-tat response from New Delhi, with police dismantling security barricades outside the British High Commission.

However, Sunak seemed at pains to start his meeting with Modi on a positive note, praising the “absolutely beautiful” new conference center renovated to accommodate the G20 summit.

The British Prime Minister added that his two daughters had been following the Indian space mission, Chandrayaan-3, which landed the first robotic probe near the moon’s south pole last month, saying “every Everyone is talking about this “historic” moment.

However, Sunak confirmed after the meeting that he had not shied away from raising the case of jailed Briton Jagtar Singh Johar, who faces the death penalty in India.