While Trump’s Tariffs Tkalac Tkalene, India, Britain enhances trade conversations – National

India and Britain will be aimed at more than double bilateral trade in the decade, Indian trade Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday, as two countries continued trade conversations under the shadow of tariff threats by US President Donald Trump.

The countries would accelerate conversations on the proposed trade agreement, including a free trade pact and an investment contract, Goyal said at a joint press conference with British business and trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds.

The ministers did not directly answer the questions about whether their conversations influenced Trump’s commands to raise the tariffs and take other measures to counteract what he saw as obstacles to American goods.

Their joint statement states that the continuation of trade interviews came out of the discussions between their premiere on the Mrgins of the G20 Summit in November 2024-a guess that occurred during the Trump inauguration.

“This will be a free commercial agreement,” Goyal said, adding that this could increase the trade of goods with Britain two to three times within a decade without giving detailed weather lanes.

Bilateral trade of goods and services between India and Britain, currently the fifth and sixth world economy, touched £ 41 billion (52 billion USD) in 12 months to September 2024, according to British Government estimates.

Trade conversations stop in March last year on the eve of the elections in both countries.

After years of delay, India signed a trade agreement with several countries, including UAE and Australia 2022, and a pact last year with the European Free Trade Association – a group made up of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein.

Earlier this month, India reduced the burbon whiskey tariffs to 100 percent from 150 percent after Trump criticized “unjust” levies in South Asia.

Key obstacles include steep Indian importing customs on British whiskey and its demand to make it easier for Indian companies and professionals to get visas to work in Britain.

“There are always sensitivity in trade negotiations that you have to respect,” Reynolds said, referring to the concern of India because of the request of Britain for India to lower agricultural tariffs and open its dairy products.

Discuping some media reports, Goyal said immigration would not be part of any discussion within the trade pact.

Reynolds said his government deals with immigration as a separate question outside of trade conversations.

Discussions on trade discussions about India and the UK have been the first since the Labor Party came to power in Britain in July last year. Reynolds said the insurance of the Agreement was a “main priority” for his government.

The British investment minister, Poppy Gustafsson, is expected to also meet investors in the Mumbai financial capital and the IT centers to Bengalur to persuade Indian companies to invest.

Both countries would also discuss a separate Social Insurance Agreement, except for the trade and investment pact, Goyal said.