India and UK engage in FTA talks to boost trade and investment

The Indian government has denied a report by The Times claiming that talks on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the United Kingdom had been halted. The report had suggested that the talks were in trouble following pro-Khalistan demonstrations outside the Indian Embassy in London during which the Indian flag was insulted. In response, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar issued a strong statement and the British Ambassador to India was summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs. However, the Indian government has described The Times report as baseless and denied that talks had been suspended. The FTA is expected to be signed in 2023 and will provide opportunities for increasing trade and investment between the two countries.