India and the UK are planning to restart talks for a free trade agreement (FTA) in the coming year. This decision was made after discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer during the G20 summit.

Starmer"s comments were aimed at addressing concerns about his Labour government"s position on the proposed trade deal, showing a commitment to advancing economic ties. During their meeting, Modi stressed the importance of extraditing fugitive Indian businessmen Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi, highlighting the need to address the issue of economic offenders residing in the UK.

This is the first interaction between the two leaders since Starmer took office in July, succeeding Rishi Sunak. As a step towards strengthening diplomatic relations, Modi announced the opening of two new Indian consulates in Belfast and Manchester, further expanding India"s presence in the UK.