London: India and United Kingdom held technical discussions across 11 policy areas over 28 sessions during the sixth round of talks for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) which concluded on December 16.

In a joint outcome statement on UK-India sixth round of FTA negotiations, UK government's Department of International Trade said that detailed draft treaty text discussions were held across the 11 policy areas.

The seventh round of official-level negotiations is due to take place in early 2023.

Secretary of State for International Trade Kemi Badenoch visited India to initiate the sixth round of the UK-India FTA negotiations on December 12-13.

She met Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal "where they welcomed the newest round of talks and discussed wider trade and investment opportunities for the UK and India".

"Technical discussions were held across 11 policy areas over 28 separate sessions. They included detailed draft treaty text discussions in these policy areas," a release said.

It said as with previous rounds, this was conducted in a hybrid fashion - a number of UK officials travelled to New Delhi for negotiations and others attended virtually.

A Commerce Ministry statement had said that Goyal and Badenoch reaffirmed their commitment to the ongoing India-UK FTA negotiations "which would unlock the full potential of boosting jobs, investments, and exports between the two countries".

The two leaders urged the negotiating team to work together with an aim to iron out the differences in the spirit of mutual accommodation based on the principle of reciprocity and respect for each other's sensitivities, for a balanced, mutually beneficial, fair, and equitable outcome.

India and UK began Free Trade Agreement negotiations in January this year.