FTA dialogue productive: U.K. and India
The Hindu
The discussion was conducted over two weeks covering 26 policy areas
India and the United Kingdom concluded the first round of discussion for the(FTA) on Friday. The discussion was conducted over two weeks and included 32 sessions that dealt with 26 policy areas, including trade in goods, services, telecommunications, investment and intellectual property.
"The negotiations were productive and reflected our shared ambition to secure a comprehensive deal to boost trade between the 5th and 6th largest economies in the world. The positive discussions in round one have laid the groundwork for the U.K. and India to make positive and efficient progress," a joint outcome statement has announced.
The discussion also covered customs and trade facilitation, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, competition, SMEs, sustainability, transparency, trade and development, Geographical Indicators (GIs) and digital issues. The negotiations were launched by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and his U.K. counterpart Anne-Marie Trevelyan on January 13.