Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesperson at 10 Downing Street said work on the trade negotiations with India “continue as before”. File.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

The U.K. government said on September 19 that the “serious allegations” over the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada will not impact its own ongoing trade negotiations with India.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesperson at 10 Downing Street was asked about the impact the issue may have on India-U.K. relations after a government spokesperson said the U.K. remains in “close touch” with the Canadian authorities.

It follows Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement in Parliament on Monday that it is pursuing “credible allegations” of “potential” Indian links to the killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Chief of Khalistan Tiger Force and a designated terrorist. Canada also expelled an Indian diplomat.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi on Tuesday strongly rejected the claims as “absurd and motivated” and dismissed a senior Canadian diplomat in a reciprocal move.

“We are in close touch with our Canadian partners about these serious allegations,” a UK. government spokesperson said.

“It would be inappropriate to comment further during the ongoing investigation by the Canadian authorities,” the spokesperson said.

Later, when Mr. Sunak’s spokesperson was pressed on the matter, he said work on the trade negotiations with India “continue as before”.

India and the U.K. earlier this month agreed to continue to work at pace towards a “landmark” free trade agreement (FTA).

Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak leaves 10 Downing Street.
| Photo Credit: AP

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on September 6 said there was “still some way to go” for a free trade pact with India to be finalised, but appeared confident that the final outcome will be a “forward-looking” and “modern” deal that would benefit both sides and facilitate shared ambition of doubling trade by 2030.

In an exclusive interview to PTI, the first Indian-origin British Prime Minister said the trade deal could help Indian exporters gain access to the British market, including India’s 48 million small and medium enterprises.

“A modern, forward-looking free trade agreement can put us firmly on the path to our shared ambition of doubling UK-India trade by 2030,” Mr. Sunak said.

Also read | The U.K.-India relationship is alive with opportunity

“It’s very exciting to have this opportunity to expand our trade relationship, and to be the first European country that India has negotiated a free trade deal with,” he said.

The Prime Minister’s responses to PTI’s questions were sent by email.

India and the U.K. are currently negotiating the ambitious free trade agreement that is expected to open new vistas of economic engagement between the two countries.

“A trade deal could help Indian exporters gain access to the UK market, including India’s 48 million small and medium enterprises. We want a deal that slashes tariffs and red tape, helping Indian consumers and businesses get easier access to the UK goods they already enjoy,” he said.

The British premier said good progress has been made in the negotiations and that there is still some way to go to finalise the pact.

“We’ve made good progress in closing chapters. Round 12 of negotiations took place last month and were the hardest yet — covering complex, sensitive, and commercially meaningful issues including goods, services, and investment,” he said.

“There is still some way to go, but I’m confident we’ll be able to agree to a deal which works for both the UK and India,” he said.

“And, of course, we hope to go further still, including by finalising the first Free Trade Agreement India has ever agreed with a European country. I remain confident that we can strike a deal which benefits both the UK and India.” The British prime minister said every bit of the trade between the two countries represents new jobs, more choice for consumers and a stronger link between the British and Indian people.

“Our trade relationship is already worth Rs 3.5 lakh crore a year — I want that number to be even higher. Every bit of trade between our countries represents new jobs, more choice for consumers and a stronger link between the British and Indian people,” he said.

In April last year, the two sides had set a Deepavali deadline for concluding the free trade agreement but the deal could not be finalised in view of differences over certain issues as well as political developments in the U.K.

The India-U.K. relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the India-U.K. virtual summit held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his then British counterpart Boris Johnson in May 2021.

At the summit, the two sides adopted a 10-year roadmap to expand ties in the key areas of trade and economy, defence and security, climate change and people-to-people connections among others.