New British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, expressed his willingness to go ahead with the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations and said he looked forward to further deepening the strong and respectful relations with India.

“Discussing the Free Trade Agreement, the (British) Prime Minister said he stood ready to conclude a deal that worked for both sides,” per a press statement released by the UK government.

The leaders exchanged congratulations on their respective election wins, and reflected on the strength of the relationship between the UK and India, it added.

“Both leaders recalled the historic relations between the two countries and reaffirmed their commitment to further deepen and advance the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and the UK. The two leaders agreed to work towards early conclusion of a mutually beneficial India-UK FTA,” according to a statement issued by India’s Ministry of External Affairs. Modi invited Starmer to visit India early.

The two also discussed  the importance of the living bridge between the UK and India, and the 2030 roadmap. The leaders agreed that the two countries should deepen cooperation in  a wide range of areas, including defence and security, critical and emerging technology, and climate change.

Starmer welcomed Modi’s leadership on key global challenges, such as climate change and economic growth, the statement noted.

The UK’s Conservative Party, which the Labour Party ousted in the recent British elections after 14 years of rule, had initiated FTA talks with India that had moved towards conclusion before the election break.

The trade pact is estimated to double bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030, which will lead to lower import duties and greater market access for a wide range of goods being traded between the two countries.

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