India and UK trade negotiations

Summary

The UK Government has identified the “Indo-Pacific tilt” as being one of the core components of its international and export strategies, which includes deepening trade relations with India.

An “Enhanced Trade Partnership” between the UK and India was agreed on 4 May 2021, following a meeting between Boris Johnson and Prime Minister Modi. In addition to declaring the two countries’ “shared intent” to work towards negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement, the Partnership set the ambition to double the value of UK-India trade by 2030, as well as lowering of non-tariff barriers on fruit and medical devices.

Negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement between the UK and India opened on 13 January 2022, following a meeting between International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan and Piyush Goyal, Indian minister of Commerce and Industry, in New Delhi.

The first round of negotiations concluded on 28 January 2022. The second round of negotiations is scheduled to take place between 7-18 March 2022.