Hours after India asked the UK to avoid commenting on immigration issues, the Liz Truss government made it clear to New Delhi on Friday that it would sign a trade deal only if it “meets the UK’s interests.”
The differences emerged on the last leg of negotiations as both countries aimed to conclude a Free Trade Agreement by the end of month.
“We remain clear that we won’t sacrifice quality for speed and will only sign when we have a deal that meets the UK’s interests,” a spokesperson for London said on Friday.
The UK government likewise responded to India's comments that any arrangement will include “issues of interests to both the sides.”
“While certain issues pertaining to Mobility and Migration are currently under discussion as part of these negotiations, any comment on these matters may not be appropriate given that negotiations are underway,” the Indian High Commission in the UK said in a statement.
One of the sticky issues concerns visas for Indian students and professionals.
Earlier this week, Braverman said that a trade agreement between India and the UK will undermine Brexit objectives and encourage immigration to the UK.
“I have concerns about having an open-borders migration policy with India because I do not think that’s what people voted for with Brexit,” the UK home secretary said in an interview with The Spectator.
According to 2020 Home Office data, 20,706 Indians have overstayed their visas. India, on the other hand, argues that tens of thousands of its citizens who come to Britain to study are denied job opportunities.
Prime Minister Liz Truss recently urged her negotiators to adhere to the Diwali (October 24) India and the UK are holding negotiations to conclude a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which the two governments say would help double bilateral trade, at present valued at $15 billion, over the next ten years. Prime Minister Truss recently urged her negotiators to adhere to the October 24 deadline for finishing the free trade agreement.