Modi visit to UK off the table as Suella Braverman remarks sour India-UK trade talks

While there were reports that Indian prime minister Narendra Modi could visit the UK to finalise the much-debated trade with the European nation, it now seems that it is now off the table.

Media reports in both India and the UK reported that the Indian prime minister planned to visit the UK for the Diwali deadline set by the two nations in April to conclude the trade talks with his British counterpart Liz Truss. But POLITICO reported on Wednesday (12) citing two sources close to the negotiations that those plans are not being pursued anymore.

British home secretary Suella Braverman (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Tensions have started ever since Suella Braverman, the new home secretary of Britain, expressed reservations over Indians migrating to the UK in a recent interview. She also accused India of not living up to the terms of a mobility agreement made last year. More leeway on migration is one of India's key requests in the trade negotiations.

“Look at migration in this country — the largest group of people who overstay are Indian migrants,” Braverman said, adding, “We even reached an agreement with the Indian government last year to encourage and facilitate better co-operation in this regard. It has not necessarily worked very well.”

The Indian high commission in Britain hit back saying the home secretary's remarks were "inappropriate" while talks continued and accused London of its own failure in the mobility pact to make it easier for students, researchers, and professionals, to travel between the two nations.

The POLITICO report said that Braverman's remarks saw disappointment at 10 Downing Street and the trade department and now, the official residence of the British prime minister has no plans for a visit by Modi around Diwali which falls on October 24.

The home secretary has “damaged the political atmospherics” of the trade pact and public perception of the UK in India, a businessperson close to the talks told POLITICO, noting that Braverman's remarks “didn’t go down well at all in India.”

A second businessperson, who is familiar with the working of the Indian government, said the visit is “not happening".

The October 24 deadline will be “tough” to meet, they said, adding: “I'm not sure if the entire [Free Trade Agreement] will be agreed by then.”