PM Modi congratulates Sunak: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday spoke to UK PM Rishi Sunak and congratulated him on assuming charge as party chief. In a tweet, the PM also mentioned that he spoke to Sunak over FTA.
"Glad to speak to @RishiSunak today. Congratulated him on assuming charge as UK PM. We will work together to further strengthen our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. We also agreed on the importance of early conclusion of a comprehensive and balanced FTA."
After PM Modi's tweet, UK PM Rishi Sunak tweeted, saying: "Thank you Prime Minister @NarendraModi for your kind words as I get started in my new role. The UK and India share so much. I'm excited about what our two great democracies can achieve as we deepen our security, defence and economic partnership in the months & years ahead."
Earlier, Britain's third female Prime Minister, Liz Truss, exited on Thursday after the shortest tenure at 10 Downing Street in London and without a cherished India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) under her belt as a Brexit prize.
On the India front, the former International Trade Secretary who signed off on the India-UK Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP) for the Boris Johnson led government in May last year, was determined to pursue the ongoing FTA negotiations towards a year-end deadline as a major post-Brexit achievement for the UK.
She has described India as a "big, major opportunity" and believes the UK and India are "in a sweet spot of the trade dynamics that are building up."
"We are looking at a comprehensive trade agreement that covers everything, from financial services to legal services to digital and data, as well as goods and agriculture. We think there is a strong possibility for us to get an early agreement, where we lower tariffs on both sides and start to see more goods flowing between our two countries," she said soon after signing the ETP.
On the campaign trail, Truss reaffirmed that she remains "very, very committed" to strengthening bilateral ties at a hustings event of the party's Conservative Friends of India (CFIN) diaspora group.
Also Read: Liz Truss: UK's third female PM leaves office without India trade deal prize
