Overview
- Indian and UK legal teams are conducting last-mile scrubbing of the FTA text in London ahead of a planned signing by end-July.
- Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal and Additional Secretary L. Satya Srinivas are meeting UK Secretary of State Jonathan Reynolds and other senior officials to steer final negotiations.
- The deal was formally concluded on May 6 after three years of talks and targets doubling bilateral trade to $120 billion by 2030 through tariff cuts.
- It will eliminate duties on Indian exports such as leather, footwear and clothing, reduce tariffs on British whisky and cars and liberalise services trade with eased professional mobility.
- The pact includes a social security convention to prevent double taxation for temporary workers, and officials are now working on a separate Bilateral Investment Treaty.