Talks are going on for FTA between India and Britain
– Photo: PTI
Expansion
Britain’s Labour Party criticized the Conservative Party led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The opposition party alleged that the ruling party made too many promises on relations with India but did not fulfill them. The Labour Party announced that if it wins the general elections to be held on July 4, it is ready to enter into a free trade agreement (FTA).
Labour Party’s shadow foreign minister David Lammy addressed the India Global Forum (IGF). During this, he said that he and his friend S Jaishankar have the ambition to build not a roof but a floor of partnership.
India and the UK have completed 13 rounds of FTA talks to boost trade ties worth an estimated 38.1 billion pounds per year. The talks are currently on hold amid elections in both countries. “Many Diwalis have come and gone without a trade deal. Many businesses have been left waiting,” Lammy said. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson had talked about completing a trade deal by Diwali 2022.
He said, “My message to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Trade Minister Piyush Goyal is that the Labor Party is ready to move forward. Let’s get our free trade agreement done and move forward.” Lammy said that if he is elected to the government on July 4, he will be in Delhi before the end of July. He said that the Conservative Party has made more promises than necessary on Britain’s relationship with India and has fulfilled less.
Describing India as an economic and cultural superpower, Lamy called on the Labour-led Cabinet to plan for its future tenure. He is expected to take over as the country’s foreign minister. Lamy said, “With a superpower like India, the areas of cooperation and learning are limitless.”