Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal meets UK Trade Secy to discuss FTA

New Delhi, July 13 (KNN) Commerce and Industry Minister (CIM) of India, Piyush Goyal on Wednesday concluded his two-day visit to London during which he engaged with several highly placed politicians, government officials and industry leaders and had crucial discussions to strengthen the India-UK trade relationship.

During his visit, he met with the Secretary of State for Trade of the United Kingdom, Kemi Badenoch, to talk about the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and explore opportunities for enhanced collaboration between the two nations.

The visit was strategically timed, coinciding with the critical stage of ongoing negotiations, and proved to be instrumental in moving the discussions forward.

Recognizing India's vast population of 1.4 billion and its remarkable economic growth, both ministers acknowledged the immense potential of the Indian market for the UK. Encouragingly, considerable progress was achieved during their frank and open discussions on various difficult issues.

The meeting between the Indian Minister and Secretary Badenoch was marked by a shared understanding and a commitment to advancing mutual interests.

Both identified and focused on low-hanging fruits, which included the closure of several chapters in the negotiations. This pragmatic approach aimed at resolving issues where negotiators had encountered challenges.

The visit proved to be critical in overcoming crucial obstacles and charting a path forward towards an ambitious and mutually beneficial trade deal.

Furthermore, Union Minister Goyal had a productive discussion with Douglas McNeill, the Chief Economic Advisor to the UK Prime Minister.

The meeting highlighted the joint efforts of India and the UK in giving a new dimension to their relationship and promoting trade between the two nations.

Both parties acknowledged the positive outcomes achieved through collaborative initiatives and expressed optimism for the future.  (KNN Bureau)