Focus to be on trade, investment during PM Modi’s UK Visit: Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami

London: Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Vikram Doraiswami, has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to the UK will place significant emphasis on trade, investment, and deepening economic ties between the two countries.

Speaking to IANS ahead of the visit, Doraiswami highlighted that both sides are preparing to take forward the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and strengthen their strategic partnership.

“Our entire team is working in London to prepare for the visit,” Doraiswami said, underscoring the importance of the bilateral engagement.

“We will be discussing a lot on trade and investment, especially how to implement the trade agreement once it is signed, and how both countries can further strengthen their economic relationship. Indian companies operating in the UK are largely satisfied; they have received good market access here,” he added.

On the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Doraiswami noted that while the primary negotiations have been completed, some formal processes remain.

“The main negotiations have concluded, as announced by the counterparts of the Prime Minister on May 6. However, some paperwork still needs to be finalised. This is called ‘legal scrubbing’ to ensure that the agreement is legally sound and all documents are ready for an agreement,” he explained.

Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the UK is scheduled for July 23-24 at the invitation of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and will be his fourth trip to the country.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the visit will include a comprehensive review of the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), with discussions spanning trade and economy, technology and innovation, defence and security, climate, health, education, and people-to-people ties.

The leaders will also deliberate on regional and global issues of shared concern. The visit is expected to inject fresh momentum into bilateral ties and provide direction for new areas of cooperation, including the long-anticipated FTA.

–IANS