India’s Commerce Ministry has set the end of July as the deadline for officials to sign the trade deal, according to a source briefed on the matter. Two other sources, also granted anonymity, said Starmer and Modi are expected to sign the deal in the U.K. before the month ends.
Modi plans a “flying visit to sign the FTA so the ratification process can begin,” one source stated. Starmer had considered a trip to India to sign the deal.
New Delhi officials have been briefing Indian media that the pact will be signed next week. Modi is expected in the Maldives on July 25 for Independence Day celebrations; Indian officials are planning a stopover in the U.K. on July 24 ahead of that visit.
If the legal scrubbing process is delayed, Modi’s trip might be rescheduled for after his Maldives visit.
The process has caused “some discomfort” on both sides, as both parties worked out issues regarding taxation measures and others under the deal.
The deal will undergo Britain’s parliamentary scrutiny and be reviewed by India’s Cabinet before taking effect.
“We have been working with India on a landmark trade deal that will deliver for British people and business, adding £4.8 billion to the UK economy,” a U.K. government spokesperson said.
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