Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a "good conversation" with his British counterpart Rishi Sunak on Tuesday and both leaders agreed to work for an early conclusion of a mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement.
The telephonic conversation between the two leaders comes as India looks forward to sealing the free trade deal with the UK before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
"Had a good conversation with PM @RishiSunak. We reaffirmed our commitment to further strengthen the bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and work for early conclusion of a mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement," PM Modi said in a post on X.
They also expressed satisfaction with the progress made under the Roadmap 2030 in diverse areas including trade, investment, defence, security, emerging technologies, and others, according to a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office.
Exchanging views on regional and global developments of mutual interest, the two leaders "assessed positively" the progress made towards the early conclusion of a mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement, the statement added.
Both Prime Ministers agreed to remain in touch and exchanged greetings on the upcoming festive occasion of Holi.
The development comes just as India on Sunday inked a landmark agreement with the four-nation European Free Trade Association (EFTA) in New Delhi to usher in increased trade and investment flows, job creation, and economic growth in the country.
Since 2014, India has signed three such agreements with Mauritius, the UAE, and Australia, and it is also negotiating trade pacts with countries like the UK, Oman, Peru, and Israel.
Last week, UK Trade Minister Kemi Badenoch reportedly suggested that an FTA is possible before elections in India but added that it would be "challenging".
“We can actually sign an agreement before the Indian election. I suspect that that is not necessarily going to be the case because I don't want to use any election as a deadline,” Badenoch said during a Global Trade conference at Chatham House in London on Thursday.
Earlier this month, a team of negotiators from the UK was in New Delhi to smooth out the differences during the 14th round of talks on the deal. The 13th round of talks was held on December 15, 2023, with the hope that the 14th round, currently ongoing, will result in a mutually beneficial agreement.
Manipur Police arrest 11 militants, recover large cache of arms, ammunition
The Manipur Police arrested 11 militants belonging to various banned outfits and recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition during the past 24 hours, officials said here on Friday.
PM Modi unveils 21-point action plan at 6th BIMSTEC Summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday presented a comprehensive 21-point action plan during the sixth BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok, laying out an ambitious road map for cooperation across diverse sectors.
ED raids multiple premises of 'Empuraan' producer Gokulam Gopalan
Amid the controversy surrounding Malayalam film ‘Empuraan’ starring superstar Mohanlal, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted raids at multiple premises linked to film’s producer Gokulam Gopalan.
SC declines PIL seeking restriction of social media platforms for kids below 13 years
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking urgent judicial intervention to regulate access to social media platforms for children below 13 years of age.
BIMSTEC Summit: PM Modi, Yunus meet amid strained ties
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a bilateral meeting with Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor of Bangladeshi interim government, on the sidelines of the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok.
Rupee strengthens against dollar amid Trump's reciprocal tariffs
The Indian rupee witnessed sharp gains on Friday at below 85 against dollar, as the dollar index and oil prices dropped sharply amid concerns over recession in the US economy after the reciprocal tariffs were announced.
Quad to send $20 million relief support to earthquake-ravaged Myanmar
Quad members Australia, India, Japan, and the United States on Friday collectively committed over $20 million in humanitarian assistance to support the relief efforts for the earthquake-devastated Myanmar.
'Waqf Bill will benefit Muslims, no threat to religious sites,' says Shahabuddin Razvi
Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi, the National President of All India Muslim Jamaat, expressed his support for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, stating that it would significantly benefit Muslims and ensure the betterment of their socio-economic conditions.