15-16 November 2022, Bali, Indonesia
16 November 2022: Meeting of Rishi Sunak with Narendra Modi:
Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister of UK met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 Summit in Indonesia today.
The leaders agreed on the enduring importance of the UK-India relationship, and of the living bridge between our countries.
They looked forward to the agreement of a UK-India free trade deal, which has the potential to unlock investment and increase jobs in both the countries, as well as expanding the historical cultural links.
Earlier while talking to reporters, Mr. Sunak had said on 15th evening that he “wouldn’t sacrifice quality for speed ”, giving an indication a deal may not be signed soon. “It’s important that we get [trade deals] right rather than rush them and so that’s the approach I’ll take on trade deals.
It was expected that the two countries would sign a trade deal by Diwali, but negotiations had slowed following a disagreement over visas.
The Prime Minister Sunak and Prime Minister Modi agreed that the UK and India’s shared values, not least the commitment to democracy, are a huge asset in international forums like the G20 and the Commonwealth.
The two Prime Ministers welcomed the opportunity to work together on challenges like ending the war in Ukraine and tackling climate change under India’s presidency of the G20 next year.
A SPECIAL OFFER FOR YOUNG INDIANS: Rishi Sunak has agreed to allow 3,000 young Indians to come and work in the UK for two years even before Free Trade Agreement negotiations restart.
16 November 2022: Meeting of Rishi Sunak with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:
The UK Prime Minister met Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia.
They underlined the importance of the AUKUS partnership for boosting regional security and harnessing the power of our shared values. They agreed to build on the two countries’ defense and security relationship.
Rishi Sunak, the UK Prime Minister, stressed the importance of the Indo-Pacific region to the UK.
The leaders looked forward to the implementation of the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement and to maximizing the opportunities it offers for both the countries. Rishi Sunak, the UK Prime Minister, also thanked Prime Minister Albanese for his support for the UK’s accession to the CPTPP trading bloc.
The leaders looked forward to expanding the work they do in areas like tackling climate change, both bilaterally and through partnerships with small island developing states.
16 November 2022: Meeting of Rishi Sunak with Xi Jinping Cancelled:
At Bali, the meeting between a British PM and the Chinese President, scheduled after 4 years since 2018, had to be cancelled due to scheduling conflicts.
UK_CHINA RELATIONS: In 2021, after UK expressed concern over human rights of Uyghur Muslim minority, China imposed sanctions on 5 MPs and two peers of UK. It is reported that the former PM, Liz Truss had planned to declare China as a ‘threat’ to UK.