Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what estimate she has made of the additional UK investment in India which will result from a UK-India free trade agreement; and will she make a statement.

The United Kingdom has a strong investment relationship with India with around 400,000 jobs supported through investments in each other’s economies. In 2019, investment from the United Kingdom in India was worth £15.3 billion, a rise of over £800 million from 2018. At a virtual summit in May between my Rt hon. Friend the Prime Minister and Prime Minister Modi of India, Britain announced her intent to negotiate a comprehensive free trade agreement with India. For British businesses investing in India’s £2 trillion economy, or Indian businesses investing across the United Kingdom, a free trade agreement could offer improved access. On 25^th May, my Department launched a consultation requesting input from consumers and businesses across all sectors that will help us craft a deal that boosts economic growth creating high-value jobs in every corner of the country.