India to set up two new consulates in UK 

Britain will restart talks with India on a free trade deal in the new year…reports Asian Lite News

On the sidelines of the G20 Summit held in Brazil, Prime Minister Narendra Modi informed United Kingdom counterpart, Keir Starmer, that India is set to open two Consulates General of India in UK’s Belfast and Manchester. 

“Recognizing the ample opportunities for further engagement between the two sides in the light of growing bilateral economic and business relations and with a view to better serve the consular requirements of the Indian community in the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Modi announced the establishment of two new Consulates General of India in the United Kingdom in Belfast and Manchester. Prime Minister Starmer welcomed the announcement,” said the Ministry of External Affairs in its statement.  

Britain will restart talks with India on a free trade deal in the new year, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office said on Monday, following a months-long pause in negotiations due to elections in both countries. London will seek a “new strategic partnership” with India as well as deepening co-operation in areas like security, education, technology, and climate change, Starmer’s office said after he met his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, at the G20 summit in Brazil. 

On the India-UK trade talks, Downing Street revealed the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) would soon unveil the government’s new trade strategy that would be aligned with its industrial strategy to help inform all future trade negotiations and achieve long-term sustainable, inclusive and resilient growth through trade. 

“India is the fifth largest economy in the world and a vital trading partner for the UK. We believe there is a good deal to be done here that works for both nations,” said UK Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds. 

“Whether it’s lowering Indian tariffs to help British firms export to this dynamic market or boosting investment which already supports over 6,00,000 jobs across both countries, striking a deal is important to deliver this government’s core mission of driving economic growth,” he said. 

During the summit, Modi addressed the G20 session on ‘Social Inclusion and the Fight Against Hunger and Poverty,’ where he highlighted India’s success in lifting 250 million people out of poverty over the past decade. He further affirmed India’s support for Brazil’s initiative to form a global alliance against hunger and poverty. 

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