Following the comments made by the government of India that talks needed to be a win-win for both sides, the Britain has said it will only sign a trade deal with New Delhi when there is one that “meets the UK’s interests”.
“We remain clear that we won’t sacrifice quality for speed and will only sign when we have a deal that meets the UK’s interests,” international news agency Reuters quoted an official statement of British government as saying.
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who met Indian PM Modi in April, set an ambitious target to sign the free trade agreement (FTA) by Diwali in late October.
As the date nears, the report said, both sides have indicated that work remains to be done.
Kemi Badenoch, who was named trade secretary by new Prime Minister Liz Truss, said earlier this week that the deal might not have everything that the services sector wants as the deadline approaches.
“There is interest on both sides to conclude the FTA at the earliest,” a spokesperson for India’s foreign ministry told reporters in a briefing on YouTube.
“All negotiations are a give and take and it needs to be a win-win for both sides,” the Indian side said.
The foreign ministry of India added: “The migration mobility is an important element and there was an understanding in this regard, which we would expect that both sides honour it.”
