As the Government misses its Diwali deadline for trade talks with India, the Trade Justice Movement has launched a new report calling for the UK to put human rights first.
The report calls for a pause in trade negotiations until the serious human rights situation in India is rectified. Allegations against India include disappearances, torture, excessive use of force and arbitrary arrests: UK national Jagtar Singh Johal has been imprisoned for five years without charge.
“We believe that India’s poor track record on human rights abuses should be adequate reason for the UK to halt its pursuit of a trade agreement with India.” said Ruth Bergan, Director of the Trade Justice Movement.
The trade negotiations between India and the UK began in January 2022. Talks will continue despite the missed deadline and controversy surrounding the former Home Secretary’s recent comments on migration from India. However, there is nothing to guarantee a deal will meet the UK’s international obligations on human rights.
“A trade deal with India will be a major milestone and set a precedent for future trade deals of this kind. The UK must make clear to countries who want to trade with us that we expect at minimum that they uphold human rights. Instead, the Government has been rushing through trade deals with countries with the worst track record.
“Trade negotiations can’t be dealt with as though they exist in a separate silo to human rights. Who we choose to do deals with sends a strong signal internationally about the importance we give to these issues.” explained Ruth Bergan.
Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, labour rights, women’s rights and many more. The United Nations General Assembly affirms human rights as a guiding consideration for multilateral trade negotiations. As the Trade Justice Movement’s report UK-India trade negotiations: why both countries must put development first outlines, a UK-India deal could have implications for a number of human rights including labour rights, gender equality and the right to health.
The Trade Justice Movement are calling for the Government to put the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which include commitments on human rights, at the heart of their approach to trade negotiations. They argue that this would provide a framework for ensuring trade deals are aligned with the UK’s international commitments and help ensure the benefits are evenly distributed across society.
“The Government should not just focus on commercial interests in trade negotiations but also take into account their obligations to address their broader international commitments.” continued Ruth Bergan.
Download the report UK-India trade negotiations: why both countries must put development first
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Image: Female farmers of Maharashtra state take part in a rally to support protesting farmers against the central government's recent agricultural reforms at Azad Maidan. Manoej Paateel / Shutterstock
