India is not in a “rush” to conclude a trade deal with the UK after Brexit, the country’s chief ambassador to the UK has said.
Yashvardhan Sinha, India’s high commissioner to Britain, said that such a deal was “not going to be done overnight”.
The ambassador also hinted that an agreement – which Brexiteers are keen on to plug the gap in Britain’s trade that will probably be created due to new frictions with the European Union – would require the UK to make it easier for Indians to come to Britain.
“I don’t think India is in a rush. I think India would like certainly, and I’m sure the UK would too … to get the best deal possible,” he told the Politico Europe website.
“I think for us it is very important that if we need to step up our engagement, we need to have that easier access, the ease of travel has to be looked into.”
India has been in talks with the EU since 2007 on a free trade agreement, and the bloc is already the country’s number one trading partner.
The high representative’s comments come days after a leading Japanese diplomat told The Independent that his country’s “first and foremost priority” was signing a deal with the EU over Japan.
Shinichi Iida, the country’s minister for public diplomacy, said: “A lot of Japanese companies, to be very frank, are concerned with the prospect of the Brexit.”
The EU is pushing for free trade deals with other Commonwealth countries Australia and New Zealand, and has a head start on Britain, with preliminary discussions already open.
European Union chief negotiator Michel Barnier has said Theresa May’s plan to leave the single market and customs union will mean inevitable “frictions” in trade between the EU and the UK.
Brexiteers however argue that “global Britain” will be able to benefit from being able to sign new trade agreements with other countries that the EU cannot land.
US president Donald Trump has expressed enthusiasm for a “great” trade deal with Britain after it leaves the EU.
The Independent has contacted the Indian High Commission in London for comment.
