As the next round of negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) with the UK approaches, India has expressed its desire to include social security in the discussions. An official stated on Tuesday that the inclusion of a social security pact would enable temporary Indian workers in the UK to claim social security benefits based on their contributions during their stay.
At present, temporary workers who stay in the UK for over a year are required to make contributions to social security. However, if they return after a brief stay, there is currently no mechanism for them to retrieve their contributions or derive any benefits from them.
Although both countries have concluded 13 rounds of talks on the FTA, certain key issues such as rules of origin, tariffs on automobiles and whiskey, liberalisation of services trade, and visa matters still need to be resolved. Despite this, negotiators are committed to reaching a comprehensive agreement that is mutually beneficial, leading to no set deadlines for the conclusion of the talks.
There has been significant progress in intellectual property issues, and discussions on the Bilateral Investment Treaty, which is being negotiated alongside the FTA, have also advanced well. The FTA, consisting of 26 chapters or policy areas, covers a wide range of topics.
Notably, the UK ranks as India’s seventh-largest export market, with goods worth $11.4 billion being exported last financial year. Additionally, imports from the UK during the same period amounted to $8.4 billion.
