India Could Sign Trade Deal With UK This Year: Top Official

India sees an FTA with Britain as crucial to hopes of becoming a bigger exporter, while the UK would obtain wider access for its whisky, premium cars and legal services.

India and Britain could sign a free trade agreement (FTA) this year as both countries have reached consensus on the broad contours of the proposed deal aiming to boost economic growth and jobs, a top trade ministry official said.

"We want to finalise the deal at the earliest," Sunil Barthwal, India's commerce secretary, told reporters on Friday.

He said that on almost all contentious issues, negotiations were completed, and the deal could be signed "much before" the end of the year.