“We are working on legal scrubbing and other last-minute work that needs to be done,” Mr Misri said at a press conference on PM Modi’s visit to the UK to sign the trade agreement on July 24.
On July 23, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to the UK for an official visit to discuss the finalization of the two nations’ free trade agreement with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“We are working on legal scrubbing and other last-minute work that needs to be done,” Mr. Misri stated at a press conference regarding PM Modi’s July 24 visit to the UK to sign the trade agreement.
Experience in Khalistani Extremism and Security Cooperation
One of India’s most pressing concerns during the upcoming dialogue will be the activity of Khalistani separatists in the UK. Indian authorities would like their British counterparts to step up surveillance and law enforcement action in respect of those groups suspected of inciting violence domestically or targeting Indian diplomatic missions abroad.
The requests in this regard have been prompted by many recent high-profile incidences: violent attacks on Indian High Commission facilities and considerably publicized agitation involving violent propaganda for separation. Indian agencies maintain the UK has become a base for pro-Khalistan activists, operating under the cover of civil societies or religious organizations, who are purportedly using virtual platforms to spread extremist ideologies.
In a written response to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada stated that the FTA talks with the UK came to an end on May 6, 2025. The accord was described by him as a “modern, comprehensive, and landmark agreement.”
Extraditions of Fugitives-Pending Cases on the Table
India is also going to renew the call for the extradition of some high-profile economic offenders and criminal fugitives who have found refuge in the UK. Nominally include the extradition of Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya, both sought in India for alleged large-scale fraud and money laundering.
Despite years of treaties on extradition, it is procedural delays, legal appeals filed in British courts, and human rights arguments invoked therein that have slowed down such progress. When negotiating, India may want assurances from the UK of greater legal and political will in bringing these cases to an absolute conclusion.
Fast Track the India-UK Free Trade Agreement
Next to security matters, a key economic aspect of the visit is to promote stalling negotiations on the India-UK Free Trade Agreement. The FTA aims to hammer out tax arrangements, improve market access and facilitate cross-border investments between the two economies.
An incomplete process of negotiations has been for sensitive sectors like automobiles, income from alcohol, pharmaceuticals and mobility of services. On both sides, there is a keen desire to have the deal concluded before forthcoming elections in both countries, as this would bring political and economic clout to a successful trade pact.
This visit carries strategic importance not only from a bilateral point of view but also from the larger perspective of Indo-Pacific realignments and Western recalibrations of their global partnerships post-Brexit. A stronger India-UK axis, which would support trade and security frameworks, would serve mutual interests against authoritarian threats, guarantee supply chain resilience and manage China’s growing assertiveness in the region.
After that, India sees the UK as an important diplomatic and economic partner in multilateral platforms like the G20, Commonwealth and United Nations, turning this visit into an important one in terms of future global alignments.
While breakthroughs are unlikely, this visit is expected to further the process of extradition, joint counterterrorism initiatives, and trade liberalization. The Indian side seeks to formalize cooperative mechanisms for continuous security dialogue, enhance cooperation in law enforcement for the recovery of fugitives and set the stage to lock in the FTA by December.
If accomplished, the visit could become the pivot on which future India-UK relations will hang, mixing pragmatism with shared democratic values and geopolitical alignment.
