In a significant breakthrough, India and the United Kingdom have announced plans to restart negotiations on their stalled Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in early 2025. The decision came after a bilateral meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the sidelines of G-20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

PM Modi, who is in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro to attend the G20 Summit, also announced that two new Consulates General of India will be established in the United Kingdom in Belfast and Manchester.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer have agreed to resume negotiations on the India-UK Free Trade Agreement. The leaders aim to address remaining issues for a mutually beneficial agreement,

They underlined the importance of resuming the free trade agreement negotiations at an early date and expressed confidence in the ability of the negotiating teams, to address the remaining issues to mutual satisfaction,

In his first meeting with United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the importance of addressing the issue of economic offenders from India in the UK as the two leaders underlined the importance of resuming the Free Trade Agreement negotiations between their two nations at an early date.

A Downing Street spokesperson said the leaders “agreed to relaunch UK-India trade talks early next year” as part of measures to take forward the comprehensive strategic partnership.