India-UK FTA may not meet Diwali deadline over immigration concerns
The India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations may get delayed and are unlikely to be finalised by Diwali, owing to concerns over it fuelling increased immigration to the UK.
IANS
Oct 12, 2022 10:13
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New Delhi, Oct 12 (IANS) The India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations may get delayed and are unlikely to be finalised by Diwali, owing to concerns over it fuelling increased immigration to the UK.
According to sources, UK's new Home Secretary Suella Braverman recently raised concerns over the deal, saying that she wouldn't support it if it leads to increased immigration from India to the UK.
Braverman's comments came close on the heels of UK's new International Trade Secretary Kemi Badernoch also raising concerns over the deal.
The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson had set the Diwali (October 24) deadline for finalising the FTA.
The Indian government is bullish on the FTA agreement and it is also equally significant for the new UK Prime Minister Liz Truss, as her country is dealing with an economic crisis.
Interestingly Truss had conducted the initial trade talks for the pact last year.
