in this regard has been the Indian Government’s pursuit of legislation that could have the effect of requiring data localisation,” the International Trade Committee report said.
Agriculture worry
Another sector which may prove hard to crack with tough stand on both sides is agriculture. India is insisting on removal of tariff on milled rice, but the British industry is resisting that.
The UK Rice Association, which represents the processing industry, has argued that removing this tariff will not necessarily reduce retail prices (which are already low) but will undermine a sector worth £900 million per year that provides employment in several English regions.
The association, in concert with the Food and Drink Federation, has argued that the UK should instead extend the list of varieties of unmilled (brown) basmati rice allowed to enter tariff-free and grant tariff rate quotas for other types of brown rice.
Mobility of people
India has significant offensive interests regarding mobility of persons, which is the granting of temporary visas to make it easier for Indian businesspeople to work in the UK. In 2021, the UK and India had signed a Memorandum of Understanding on migration and mobility.
Now, according to reports, India is hoping to persuade the UK to weave in provisions of the bilateral migration and mobility agreement that allows enhanced opportunity for young professionals to live and work in each other’s countries, into the FTA to make mobility concessions ‘institutionalised’ and permanent.
