Talks to secure a trade deal with India should also support the release of a British citizen arbitrarily detained there, a Labour MP has urged.
Ahead of a visit to India by Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, Douglas McAllister urged negotiators to discuss the release of 37-year-old Jagtar Singh Johal.
Mr Johal, a Sikh activist from Dumbarton in Scotland, was in Punjab, northern India, for his wedding in 2017 when his family said he was arrested and bundled into an unmarked car.
The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found his imprisonment breached Mr Johal’s human rights, and have called for his release and compensation.
Mr McAllister asked on Thursday: “Whilst it’s appreciated that a new trade deal with India could support jobs and prosperity in the UK and thus drive growth, can I ask the minister to include in the work underway across Government to prepare for negotiations with India, that those discussions include the immediate release of my West Dunbartonshire constituent Jagtar Singh Johal from arbitrary detention in India prior to concluding any trade deal?”
Business and trade minister Gareth Thomas told the Commons in his reply: “I recognise this is a very significant issue for (Mr McAllister). We remain absolutely committed to encouraging the government of India to see faster progress to resolve this case.
“The Prime Minister (Sir Keir Starmer) raised this case with prime minister (Narendra) Modi back on November 18. We’ve made clear the need for faster progress towards a resolution on this issue.”
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in her Oxfordshire speech on Wednesday that Mr Reynolds would visit India “shortly to restart talks on the free trade agreement and bilateral investment treaty that the last government failed to deliver”.
Ms Reeves insisted the Government would be “guided by one clear principle, above all, to act in the national interest for our economy”, adding: “That means building on our special relationship with the United States.”
Mr Thomas confirmed in the Commons that the Business Secretary would travel to Delhi in February.
Asked by Bob Blackman, Conservative MP for Harrow East, to “make sure that we in the UK gain access to the services market in India”, the minister declined to give a “running commentary” on negotiations.
He told MPs: “We’re absolutely determined to do everything we can do to secure a trade deal with India.”
