The UK states that the trade talks with India are focused on business travel and not on wider immigration matters.

During the Free Trade Agreement talks with India, Britain will address temporary business visas, but the agreement will not encompass broader immigration commitments or grant Indian workers access to the British labor market. Kemi Badenoch, the trade minister, made this statement.

The trade negotiations with India began in January the previous year, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak emphasized that the discussions prioritize quality over speed.

Last year, interior minister Suella Braverman sparked a controversy when she made remarks about the potential impact of Indian migrants during trade talks. She expressed concerns about both an "open borders migration policy with India" and individuals who might overstay their visas.

Responding to a query regarding the government's approach to ensuring a unified stance on migration and mobility concerning a UK-India trade agreement while avoiding disruptive political interferences, Badenoch clarified Britain's position in a written response to lawmakers published on Thursday.

According to Badenoch, the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India will not include any commitments on immigration or grant access to the UK domestic labor market. Moreover, she emphasized that the FTA will not undermine the principles or functioning of the UK's points-based immigration system or its ability to control its own borders.

Badenoch added that the negotiations will address business mobility, particularly focusing on facilitating highly skilled professionals to provide services in each other's markets on a short-term and temporary basis.

Additionally, negotiators are exploring ways to enable the mutual recognition of professional qualifications, provided it aligns with regulatory requirements, as mentioned by Badenoch.

Earlier, Badenoch cautioned that the agreement might not fully meet the expectations of the services sector.

Regarding the timeline for the negotiations, which have faced slow progress this year, she refrained from providing a specific conclusion date. Instead, she assured lawmakers that she would provide updates on the talks "in due course."