” UK sees trade talks with India on hold ” | GNN INFO

The latest round of trade talks between Britain and India has concluded without a deal, with a British official saying an agreement could not be finalised ahead of the upcoming Indian elections.

The two countries have held stop-start talks over a free trade agreement for two years and both are set to hold elections in 2024. PM Narendra Modi will bid for a rare third term in a vote that is due by May, with the exact date yet to be announced.

“Neither side is walking away from talks,” said one British official. “We simply do not yet have what we need to finalise a deal that meets our joint ambitions.”

Earlier this week, Modi and British PM Rishi Sunak reaffirmed their commitment to securing a new trade deal. “The UK has been crystal clear that we won’t agree a deal until we reach ambitious outcomes on goods, services, and investment,” the British official said on Friday.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 17^th, 2024.

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