BREXIT Britain is on course for an historic trade deal with India by the end of 2022, with a quarter of it already agreed.
PM Boris Johnson last night said talks would be accelerating to get the agreement “done by Diwali” on October 24.
The UK is dangling extra visas for Indians to work here to sweeten the terms — with both sides agreeing to wrap up the deal by the end of the year.
Speaking alongside Indian PM Narendra Modi in India’s capital New Delhi, the PM said: “This could double our trade and investment by the end of the decade.”
But amid fears of upsetting his hosts, the PM did not directly challenge “best friend” Modi on his support for Vladimir Putin and abstaining on key votes at the UN criticising Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The rewards of a deal could be huge — Mr Johnson said India will be bigger than the US and EU by 2050 in terms of population and will be the world’s third largest economy.
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The price of rice in the UK could plummet if tariffs are lifted, although the issue of cross-border trade has not yet been settled.
But the announcement did little to quell questions about the PM’s leadership woes.
He faced more Partygate questions last night, but said only: “That cat has been kicked enough.”
But he will give evidence about it to the Privileges Committee if he is asked to, a spokesman said yesterday.
Tory MPs warn a confidence vote on his leadership is inevitable.
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