Sixth round of India-U.K. FTA talks to begin from Monday

The negotiations are happening after a brief gap due to recent political developments in the U.K.

The sixth round of negotiations between senior officials of India and the U.K. for a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) will begin here on Monday with an aim to conclude the talks at the earliest, an official said.

The negotiations are happening after a brief gap due to recent political developments in the U.K.

The last round of talks was held on July 29.

"The sixth round of talks are starting from December 12," the official said.

Trade in goods, including passenger vehicles, is one of the areas under the negotiations, which started on January 13, 2022.

In a free trade agreement, two countries either significantly reduce or eliminate customs duties on the maximum number of goods traded between them. The U.K. side is demanding duty concessions in the automobile sector.

Last month, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said the agreement is a high priority for both countries. He added that things are progressing well and it will yield good results.