LONDON: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Rishi Sunak reviewed the progress of the ongoing free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations and agreed for their trade teams to continue at pace towards an ambitious deal, Downing Street said.
Modi and Sunak met on the sidelines of the summit of the G7 advanced economies here in Hiroshima on May 21.
In their second in-person meeting since the G20 Summit in Indonesia last November, the two leaders are said to have discussed the deep ties shared between the nations.
In relation to India’s G20 presidency, Downing Street also indicated that the British Indian leader’s first visit to India is expected to be for the G20 Summit in New Delhi later this year.
The leaders reflected on the deep ties between the UK and India, rooted in our human connections, and the vital importance of democracy and fair and open trade, said a Downing Street spokesperson.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) readout of the meeting echoed similar outcomes of the in-person meeting between the two leaders, as they reviewed the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, including taking stock of progress in the India-UK FTA negotiations.
The two nations last month concluded the ninth round of FTA negotiations with detailed discussions across a range of policy areas.
