London: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s short but focussed visit to the UK highlights his commitment to this partnership and his willingness to keep it thriving as it is taken to the next level with a Free Trade Agreement, India’s High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami said Tuesday.
Speaking to PTI at India House in London on the eve of the PM’s visit, Doraiswami said an extremely “detailed and ambitious” FTA document is in the final legal scrubbing phase to ensure it reflects the substance of what was agreed when negotiations concluded May 6.
All eyes will be on the FTA, which aims to double bilateral trade to USD 120 billion by 2030 and is expected to be formally signed off during Modi’s meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer Thursday.
“We are working to finalise it; the objective is to have the Free Trade Agreement land,” said Doraiswami.
“It is, of course, a detailed and ambitious document, which is probably our most ambitious Free Trade Agreement to date. So, there is effort that is required to make sure it’s all accurate and covers everything that the two sides have actually agreed and reflects the substance of what people are expecting, as and when it lands. It will have a very important impact upon both economies and help drive growth in both countries,” he said.
The envoy pointed out that the FTA, once signed and ratified by the UK Parliament, will give businesses a more predictable framework and stressed that it is not just about “tariff reductions” but also about improving the terms of trade.
“It includes customs arrangements on rules of origin. It includes government procurement. And, of course, there is a huge and very important set of areas covered under services, which is a significant segment of both the British and the Indian economy,” he shared.
Regarding the extremely truncated UK visit before the Prime Minister heads to the Maldives, Doraiswami admitted that the High Commission and the 1.8-million-strong diaspora would have liked all the “bells and whistles” of a longer tour, but reiterated that it suggests a great willingness to keep the India-UK partnership “thriving”.
“The fact that he’s so committed to this relationship should give our diaspora friends confidence here that the UK is such an important partner for us that the Prime Minister is willing to fly across all of this distance just to push the relationship forward, for a mere 24 hours. I think that’s pretty incredible,” said the envoy.
“The Prime Minister has consistently held the view that we must build ties with traditional and important partners. His willingness to travel a considerable distance for a short period of time, even when Parliament is in session… making a short but really focussed trip suggests to us that the Prime Minister places great emphasis on getting this relationship not just to maintain its current trajectory but to lift it to its next level,” he said.
The Prime Minister, who will be accompanied by a business delegation, is also scheduled for an audience with King Charles III at one of the royal estates. During his visit to the UK in 2018, Modi and the then Prince of Wales had jointly launched an Ayurvedic Centre of Excellence.
“Based on their previous conversations and based on their own very holistic approach to healthcare, to the environment, to the human impact on the environment, I would be surprised if they didn’t talk about some of those things,” said Doraiswami.
Prime Minister Modi is expected to arrive Wednesday evening local time ahead of a packed schedule of engagements with Starmer Thursday, when the FTA agreed between both sides is expected to be formally signed off.
After an audience with the British monarch, the PM will set off for the Maldives where he is the Guest of Honour at the island nation’s 60th Independence Day celebrations July 26.
