The Indian government believes Labour will be more likely than the last government to grant UK visas to nurses and IT workers.
Trade talks between the UK and India started more than two years ago but were put on hold in March as there was no chance they could be completed before the Indian election.
David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, will visit India this week and is likely to discuss the resumption of talks.
India previously demanded more visas for nurses, care workers, IT professionals and financial consultants as its price for a free trade deal with the UK.
The Indian government is said to want to resume talks from where they left off under the previous Conservative administration, in the hope of “ironing out” a number of differences.
A New Delhi source said: “India is keen to resume talks on a positive note, but the date needs clarity.
“The trade deal was at the final stage in the previous government and we want to see whether the Labour government wants to start from where we left it in March before the elections or start afresh from scratch.”
They added: “Our stance on visas for professionals remains unchanged. We are expecting a positive outcome under the Labour government.”
The UK-India trade deal talks had reached an advanced stage but a number of sticking points emerged.
The British Government wanted to see tax breaks on Scotch whisky exported to India, while India demanded that migrants be able to claw back payments like National Insurance contributions when they leave the UK.
Earlier this month, Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister, congratulated Sir Keir Starmer on a “remarkable” general election victory.
“I look forward to our positive and constructive collaboration to further strengthen the India-UK comprehensive strategic partnership in all areas, fostering mutual growth and prosperity,” he said.
Source: Yahoo! News
