New Delhi: India and the United Kingdom have affirmed their shared commitment towards Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries.
The two sides will engage in early harvest schemes or limited trade agreements in a phased manner marking preparatory steps towards the FTA, it was announced during the 14th Joint Economic and Trade Committee meeting, held virtually on Friday.
Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and UK Secretary of State for International Trade Elizabeth Truss co-chaired the meeting. Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Hardeep Singh Puri and his British counterpart, Minister of State for International Trade Ranil Jayawardena, were also present.
Goyal tweeted that the two sides “reaffirmed our shared commitment to a Flag of IndiaFlag of United Kingdom FTA & towards that, Early Harvest deals in a staged manner. @TrussLiz”
They also decided to deliberate on these issues in autumn 2020 in New Delhi to carry forward the dialogue.
Puri and Jayawardena will have monthly meetings to intensify the dialogue. Both sides also resolved to cooperate in the health sector especially in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Co-chairs of Business led Joint Working Groups on Life Science and Health, ICT and Food and Drink set up during the last Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) made their recommendations to the Ministers.
(Aditya)