New Delhi, Jul 25 (UNI) India and the UK have affirmed their shared commitment to a Free Trade Agreement and towards that, Early Harvest deals in a staged manner.

The two nations held the 14th Joint Economic and Trade Committee meeting on Friday virtually.

Early harvest scheme is a precursor to a free trade agreement (FTA) between two trading partners. This is to help the two trading countries to identify certain products for tariff liberalisation pending the conclusion of FTA negotiation.

It was co-chaired by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and UK Secretary of State for International Trade , Ms Elizabeth Truss. They were assisted by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Hardeep Singh Puri and his counterpart, UK Minister of State for International Trade, Mr Ranil Jayawardena.

Minister Goyal and Ms Truss affirmed their shared commitment to a Free Trade Agreement and towards that, Early Harvest deals in a staged manner.

Mr Puri and Minister Jayawardena will have monthly meetings to intensify the dialogue. It was decided that a meeting led by Mr Goyal and SOS Truss will be held in Autumn 2020 in New Delhi to carry forward the dialogue.

The Co-chairs of Business led Joint Working Groups on Life Science and Health, ICT and Food and Drink set up during the last Joint Economic Trade Committee (JETCO) made their recommendations to the Ministers.

Both sides approached the talks with open minds and shared commitment to revival and revitalisation of the long standing trade and economic linkages between India and the UK.

They also resolved to cooperate in health Sector especially in view of the present Pandemic of Covid-19, according to a statement here on Saturday.

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