‘Excited’ About What UK, India Can Achieve As They Deepen Partnership, PM Sunak Tells PM Modi

Britain’s newly-elected Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Thursday thanked his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi for congratulating him on his new function, saying he was “excited” about what the 2 nice democracies can obtain as they deepen their safety, defence and financial partnership.

His remark got here quickly after Prime Minister Modi spoke to new him over telephone and congratulated him on assuming cost as British Prime Minister.

“We will work together to further strengthen our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. We also agreed on the importance of early conclusion of a comprehensive and balanced FTA,” Modi tweeted.

Sunak replied, “Thank you Prime Minister @NarendraModi for your kind words as I get started in my new role. The UK and India share so much. I’m excited about what our two great democracies can achieve as we deepen our security, defence and economic partnership in the months & years ahead.”

Sunak, 42, was elected Conservative Party chief on Monday, marking a really particular Diwali for the previous Chancellor of Exchequer who entered 10 Downing Street because the youngest British Prime Minister in 210 years.

His imaginative and prescient for India-UK bilateral ties has gone past the chance for the UK to promote issues in India, wanting Britain to additionally “learn from India”.

India and Britain launched negotiations for the Free Trade Agreement in January with an purpose to conclude talks by Diwali however the deadline was missed resulting from an absence of consensus on points.

The India-UK free commerce deal is more likely to get the much-needed impetus with Sunak shifting into 10 Downing Street as specialists see political stability within the UK giving momentum to negotiations.

Sunak, in his earlier function as Chancellor of the Exchequer, had expressed help for the FTA as he noticed huge alternatives for each international locations within the fintech and insurance sectors.

According to the specialists, political stability within the UK now would assist fast-track the negotiations for the pact, which might doubtlessly double bilateral commerce by 2030.

The whole commerce between India and the UK stood at USD 17.5 billion in 2021-22.

India has in current instances signed commerce offers with the United Arab Emirates and Australia however talks with the UK had hit a snag over simpler entry to Indian expert employees.

Sunak’s historic milestone because the nation’s first non-white Prime Minister is being broadly celebrated as an indication of the variety of modern-day Britain. He took over from Liz Truss simply 49 days after she defeated him within the final management race.