India Observers

  In a historic move, India and the United Kingdom signed a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) today, formalised in London in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal also joined the signing ceremony. The deal, finalised on May 6, 2025, is projected to grow annual bilateral trade by £25.5 billion, add £4.8 billion to the UK economy, and raise wages by £2.2 billion each year in the long term. The FTA sets an ambitious goal of doubling trade to $120 billion by 2030, with an additional $40 billion expansion by 2040. Key provisions include India removing import taxes on leather, textiles, and footwear, while the UK slashes tariffs on whisky, gin, lamb, cosmetics, and farm goods. India will now permit UK car imports at just 10% duty, down from over 100%, raising domestic industry concerns. UK firms gain access to India’s telecom, insurance, and banking sectors, though India secured only limited visa concessions. Add...

 The British Foreign Secretary has also confirmed that India is an emerging global leader on technology as well as it has the world’s 3rd highest tech unicorn hub. James Cleverly, the British foreign secretary , is in India to attend the G20 conference of foreign ministers. In a statement, Cleverly said,  “India is a crucial companion for the United Kingdom, and the deeper relationships we are developing now will assist to grow the British economy and strengthen our industries in the future.  This groundbreaking migration plan will allow the sharpest and most talented individuals in both countries to take advantage of new opportunities.” The British Home Secretary further stated, “ India is rapidly growing as a world leader in technology, and there are vast prospects for improved partnership between us in this field. Thus, we will dispatch our first Tech Envoy to the Indo-Pacific area in order to maximize the technological competence of both nations.” India, according to ...