He noted that the UK’s new government, under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, is politically stronger, more open to global trade, and better positioned to conclude the deal.
Reynolds, however, refrained from setting a timeline for the agreement, remarking that “a former UK prime minister had vowed to finalise the FTA by Diwali but never mentioned the year.” While he did not rule out a “phase one” trade deal, he stressed that the ambition was for a comprehensive agreement covering goods, services, and business mobility.
One of the UK’s top priorities in the negotiations is securing greater market access for Scotch whisky in India, with Reynolds stating he is “absolutely confident” that the deal will establish the right market conditions for the industry. He highlighted that the Scotch whisky market in India is significantly larger than that of…
