India, UK close to concluding FTA talks, working to iron out issues on IPRs, rules of origin

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Key Points

India and the UK are 'very close' to concluding negotiations for a proposed free trade agreement as both sides are working to iron out differences on issues including investment treaty, intellectual property rights (IPRs), and rules of origin, a senior government official said on Friday...

The 'rules of origin' provision prescribes minimal processing that should happen in an FTA country so that the final manufactured product may be called originating goods in that country...

Under this provision, a country that has inked an FTA with India cannot dump goods from some third country in the Indian market by just putting a label on it..

India's main exports to the UK are ready-made garments and textiles, gems and jewellery, engineering goods, petroleum and petrochemical products, transport equipment, spices, machinery and instruments, pharmaceuticals and marine products...

Under such pacts, two trading partners significantly reduce or eliminate customs duties on the maximum number of goods traded between them, besides easing norms to promote trade in services and investments...

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