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Last updated: June 30, 2023 at 00:09 AM IST
London, United Kingdom (UK)
Prime Minister Modi met British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Hiroshima this year. (Twitter/Narendra Modi)
Britain launched trade talks with India in January last year, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has assured that he will not sacrifice quality in order to expedite the negotiations.
Britain will discuss temporary work visas as part of free trade agreement talks with India, Trade Minister Kimmy Badnoch said, but any deal would not include broader immigration commitments or access for Indian workers to the British labor market.
Britain launched trade talks with India in January last year, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has assured that he will not sacrifice quality in order to expedite the negotiations.
Home Secretary Soila Braverman stirred up a row last year with comments about the potential impact of Indian immigrants in trade talks, citing concern about both the “open border immigration policy with India” and those overstaying visas.
Badnock outlined Britain’s position in response to a question about how the government would ensure it “speaks with one voice on immigration and mobility in relation to the UK-India trade agreement”, avoiding “off-stage disturbing political noise”.
“The free trade agreement with India will not contain commitments on immigration or access to the UK’s domestic labor market,” Badenoch said in a written response to lawmakers published on Thursday.
“There will also be no agreement on anything that undermines the principles or workings of the UK’s points-based immigration system, or that undermines the UK’s ability to control its borders.”
She added that the negotiations will discuss business mobility, “which will make it easier for highly skilled professionals to provide services in each other’s markets on a short-term and temporary basis.”
She said negotiators were also exploring provisions to facilitate mutual recognition of professional qualifications where this might be possible with regulators.
Badenock has previously warned that the deal may not contain everything the services sector wants.
She did not indicate when the negotiations, which have not made rapid progress this year, would end, saying she would brief lawmakers “at the appropriate time” about the talks.
(This story was not edited by the News18 staff and was published from a syndicated news agency feed – Reuters)
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