UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper to visit India soon; FTA among key agenda items: MEA

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is set to visit India soon, with discussions expected to focus on the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA), trade and investment, as well as security and defence cooperation, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday. Details of the visit are still awaited.

Speaking at the weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "On the visit of the Foreign Secretary of the UK, we will keep you informed of the schedule. Our relationship with the United Kingdom involves a large gamut of issues, including economic, security, and defence cooperation. When the Foreign Secretary is here, we will discuss all these issues, including the Free Trade Agreement and how we can scale up our trade and investment ties. The Trade Secretary is also currently in India, and the Ministry of Commerce will likely provide a readout of those meetings." Meanwhile, UK Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle is in New Delhi to advance the next phase of the £48 billion (approximately USD 64.7 billion) trade relationship between the two countries.

According to a statement issued by the UK Government, Kyle is scheduled to meet Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal to further strengthen bilateral trade ties. The two leaders are expected to discuss steps to bring the bilateral Free Trade Agreement into force at the earliest. The UK Government said efforts to advance the agreement come at a time of heightened global trade uncertainty. It noted that ongoing geopolitical tensions and disruptions to major trade routes have increased the importance of strengthening economic partnerships.

Once implemented, the FTA is expected to eliminate tariffs on 99 per cent of UK exports to India and reduce tariffs on 90 per cent of Indian exports to the UK, making trade between the two countries cheaper, faster and easier. During his visit, Kyle will also meet Indian and British industry leaders to help businesses prepare for the implementation of the agreement. (ANI)

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