New Delhi: The free trade agreement (FTA) announced by India and Britain in May is being subjected to “legal scrubbing” and “last-minute work”, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said on Tuesday at a media briefing amid indications that the two nations are going all-out to ink the deal during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Britain beginning Wednesday.In all probability, the deal will be inked on Thursday, reportedly after certain clearances to the document by the British Cabinet. After his visit to Britain that culminates on Thursday, the PM will travel to the Maldives.According to the ministry of external affairs, the Prime Minister will pay an official visit to the United Kingdom from July 23 to July 24 at the invitation of Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Modi is also expected to call on King Charles III. During what will be Modi’s fourth visit to the UK, he will hold wide-ranging discussions with Starmer on the entire gamut of bilateral relations. They will also exchange views on issues of regional and global importance. India and Britain will also review the progress of the comprehensive strategic partnership (CSP) with a specific focus on trade and economy, technology and innovation, defence and security, climate, health, education and people-to-people ties. The two Prime Ministers had on May 6 announced a “successful conclusion of an ambitious and mutually beneficial India–UK free trade agreement (FTA) along with the double contribution convention”, which the two leaders had described as a “historic milestone in the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership that would foster trade, investment, innovation and job creation in both economies”. On India’s move to get high-profile economic offenders extradited from Britain amid judicial hurdles, the foreign secretary confirmed that the proposed extradition of such offenders has been the subject of discussions between the two sides, pointing out that if terrorist Tahawwur Rana could be extradited from the United States to India to face justice, it “was not a big thing” if such extraditions take place from Britain of fugitives from justice. In response to a media query on the anti-India activities of pro-Khalistan extremists in Britain and other countries, the foreign secretary also said India has been communicating its concerns to partner nations such as Britain. Asked about any move by the West to impose secondary sanctions on India for doing business with Russia, Misri said he had not seen any action taken by Britain on any such secondary sanctions. The foreign secretary expressed hope that, like the United States, Britain will also designate the Pakistan-based terror group The Resistance Front (TRF) as a terrorist organisation. From London, the Prime Minister will travel to the Maldives, where he will be the guest of honour in the 60th Independence Day celebrations. India is in discussions and holding negotiations for an FTA with the tiny archipelago nation. The state visit to Maldives from July 25 to July 26 is on the invitation of the President of Maldives Mohamed Muizzu. This will be Prime Minister’s third visit to Maldives. The foreign secretary acknowledged that the Maldives was facing a “stressful financial environment” and pointed out that India has been providing emergency financial assistance to the archipelago nation and said Indian assistance has helped in boosting Maldivian foreign exchange reserves. He also mentioned the development assistance being provided by India, including grants and capacity building. Misri also spoke about the “robust defence and security” ties between India and its maritime neighbour and about how New Delhi was increasing the capacity of the Maldives for surveillance of the Maldivian exclusive economic zone (EEZ). During the visit, Modi will hold discussions with Muizzu on issues of mutual interest. The two leaders will also take stock of the progress in the implementation of the India-Maldives joint vision for a Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership’, adopted during the state visit of the President of Maldives to India in October 2024.
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