In an interview with the PTI just ahead of the G20 Summit in India this weekend, British PM Rishi Sunak said that India is the “right country” at the “right time” to hold the G20 Presidency owing to its diversity and extraordinary successes.
Hailing Indian PM Narendra Modi’s leadership over the last year, Sunak said, “The relationship between the UK and India will define the future of our two countries even more than it is defining the present.” During the interview, the British PM mentioned that he was hugely proud of his Indian roots.
India’s G20 Presidency, Indo-Pacific
Sunak said, “We will also work closely with India through their Presidency of the G20 to address the biggest challenges the world is facing, from stabilising the global economy to dealing with climate change.”
THREAD | Highlights of British Prime Minister @RishiSunak's exclusive interview with @PTI_News.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 6, 2023
(Scroll up for the highlights)
READ | No form of extremism acceptable in the UK: British PM Rishi Sunak on Khalistani issuehttps://t.co/XKw06oJLUJ
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The British PM mentioned that India is already on track to be the third-largest economy in the world within ten years. That is why India is such an important partner for the UK in the Indo-Pacific region and in general.
He mentioned, “I absolutely see more for the UK and India to do together in the Indo-Pacific, building on the impressive cooperation that has already taken place across trade, defence and security under the 2030 Roadmap.”
Concerns Regarding Khalistan
Addressing Indian concerns regarding pro-Khalistani elements in the UK, Sunak said no form of extremism is acceptable in the UK.
He added that the UK is working closely with its partners in the Indian Government to tackle the threat from pro-Khalistan extremism.
Sunak said that during UK Security Minister Tom Tugendhat’s meeting with the Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar in New Delhi, new funding was announced to enhance the UK’s capability to tackle pro-Khalistan extremism.
He remarked, “The INR 1 crore ($133,514) investment will strengthen our understanding of the threat posed by Pro-Khalistan Extremism and complement the joint work already underway between the UK and India.”
The UK PM highlighted that while the UK citizens enjoy the right to gather lawfully and demonstrate a point of view, the right to lawful protest does not extend to violent or threatening behaviour.
In an interview with news agency PTI, British Prime Minister #RishiSunak said that he is hugely proud of his Indian roots and his connections to India#G20Summit https://t.co/9u8AO17cGz
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) September 6, 2023
UK-India FTA, Trade Relationship
Sunak hoped that the trade relationship between the two countries, which stands at 3.5 lakh crore rupees (~$42 billion) a year at present, would be higher in the coming years.
Speaking on the much-awaited UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in the talks right now, Sunak hoped to further strengthen the ties between the two nations by finalising India’s first FTA with a European country.
He said, “There is still some way to go, but I’m confident we’ll be able to agree [to] a deal, which works for both the UK and India.”
Last month, the two countries held Round 12 of their FTA negotiations, covering complex, sensitive, and commercially meaningful issues, including goods, services, and investment.
The British PM said, “A modern, forward-looking free trade agreement can put us firmly on the path to our shared ambition of doubling UK-India trade by 2030.”