India-UK free trade deal not on hold: MEA

New Delhi, Oct 14: India on Friday said it is carrying out negotiations with the United Kingdom for finalising a free trade agreement (FTA) at an early date while ensuring that the deal is beneficial for both countries.

The two countries wanted to finalise the FTA by Diwali, but there are now indications this deadline is unlikely to be met.

Earlier, reports claimed that the India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) is on the "verge of collapse" after the Indian government was angered by comments made by UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman questioning action over visa overstayers from the country.

"There are ongoing negotiations as we know on the FTA. There is interest on both sides to see if we can work towards a deal, an FTA, that is beneficial to both the countries at an early date," external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told a weekly news briefing in response to a question.

"This is a trade negotiation...let this be dealt by trade negotiators," he said.

While refusing to comment on Braverman's recent comments opposing the FTA on the ground that it would increase immigration to the UK, Bagchi said the "larger issue of mobility and consular matters" was a separate matter.

"There are understandings between both countries and going forward, this will require mutual implementation of these understandings," he said.

The spokesperson further clarified that negotiations on the FTA have not come to a halt but indicated that the deal is not likely to be finalised by the end of October.

with PTI inputs