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The Cabinet minister reaffirmed the British government’s commitment to improve trade between India as the fifth and the UK as the sixth largest economies of the world.
UK’s Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds
The UK’s Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, has revealed that he will be visiting India next month in an effort to propel the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with urgency.
Addressing India Global Forum’s (IGF) 7th Annual UK-India Parliamentary Lunch at the House of Lords as Chief Guest on Monday, Reynolds said, “I want to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to deliver growth for both countries through the trade deal that we’re talking about, through the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the Technology Security Initiative; and I can let you know exclusively, I hear what you say about urgency, [that] I’ve just been finalising my own visit to India next month to make sure we proceed on that basis.”
The minister’s comments came against the backdrop of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announcing that the stalled UK-India FTA talks would relaunch in early 2025, following a his bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 Summit in November last year.
Referencing that meeting and other recent high-level engagements, Reynolds stated, “India is a top priority partner for the UK, and we want to elevate that ambition across all aspects of our relationship, but also to take it to new heights.
“It’s why in our manifesto, the UK government committed to our Free Trade Agreement. But it’s also why we’re so energised by the prospects of what that might bring, and the Bilateral Investment Treaty, and what that would mean for both countries going forward.”
The Secretary of State in the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) also welcomed the “absolutely excellent” report launched by the UK-India Future Forum (UKIFF), IGF’s central UK-India platform, focused on emerging and disruptive technologies as sectors that will help drive growth in both countries. UKIFF’s ‘Sentiment to Success – Futureproofing UK India Relations’ presents a detailed review of the areas of progress along with immediate and actionalable strategies to energise the bilateral partnership.
IGF Chairman and CEO Manoj Ladwa said, “The world is at a tipping point, and sentiment alone won’t sustain relationships in this era of uncertainty. The UK-India partnership must pivot from nostalgia to action, leveraging India’s rising global influence and the UK’s unmatched expertise.
“Together, we can lead in critical areas like energy, tech, healthcare, and defence. Delays are not an option – the time to act is now. Democracies thrive when democracies work together.”
Co-hosted with the High Commission of India in the UK and Lord Jitesh Gadhia, the UK-India Parliamentary Lunch convened 100 leading figures from the world of politics, business, finance and technology over a sit-down meal at the House of Lords to take stock of the ties between the two leading democracies.
- Location :
London, United Kingdom (UK)
