London Diary: Scotch for Indian Talent in India-UK FTA, Migrants Oppose Power Cut at Detention Centre

All for some Scotch: The free trade agreement between India and Britain is still being negotiated, after it was said to be nearly a done deal by Diwali. It is apparent that there are critical aspects being renegotiated. And since this is intended as a give and take, any change to something agreed upon earlier can potentially bring about a change in other things that could be agreed upon now. Through the morass and mess over the long-awaited deal, this is turning out to be a game over migration that could well draw in a game over Scotch whisky.

Britain’s prime demand is reduced tariffs and higher quotas on the import of Scotch whisky. The Scotch Whisky Association has long lobbied with the British government and, as it turns out, successfully over this. The Indian government is believed to have accepted British demands substantially for more Scotch with a cut to the present 150 per cent duty on it. India is the world’s largest market for whisky, and second largest market for Scotch. India imported 136 million bottles last year. Not enough, say the Scots.

For India, the biggest demand is more opportunities for its students and professionals to move to Britain. That would appear an odd counter to Britain’s demand, that the one thing India wants more from Britain is that it should take away more of its brightest and best. British officials are doing that already, through some active head-hunting by its deputy high commissioners and other officials in India. The new government in Britain is resisting this Indian demand, it wants to link the movement of Indian professionals with a commitment from India to take back undocumented migrants settled in Britain.

Britain’s drug demand: And now fresh worry has arisen over the agreement on a purportedly leaked draft, indicating agreement on a British demand on generic drugs. Britain wants to limit India’s production of generic drugs, which the poor around the world depend on. Médecins Sans Frontières has warned that any concession made by India to this British demand will hurt millions around the world for whom generic Indian drugs are a lifeline. Britain is looking for continuing extension of patents to bring more profits to its pharmaceutical firms.

Some early harvest agreements were expected earlier on matters not very contentious. That was amid optimism that there could be a full harvest by Diwali. As it turns out, we have neither. The British have set new demands. And in the face of that, new worry has arisen that India may end up giving away too much for too little.

More migrant ‘disturbances’: The issue of illegal migrants returns to haunt Britain every day. Following the firebomb attack on a migrant detention centre that the government said was provoked by right-wing ideological hatred, disturbances arose on Saturday at the Harmondsworth refugee detention centre in London. A power failure led inmates to come out onto the courtyard armed with all they could lay hands on. Additional police and security staff had to be brought in to contain the protest.

A government report found conditions “below acceptable standards”. Several reports over recent years have pointed to unacceptable living standards at the detention centre with an official capacity of 670. The centre houses asylum seekers and foreign criminals facing deportation. The disturbance follows continuing protests at a refugee centre in Dover.

Home secretary Suella Braverman is not expected to make conditions any easier. She is looking to fast-track the way of illegal migrants out of Britain. The toughest moves by her predecessor Priti Patel did not deliver. Everyone is waiting to see now how far Braverman goes.

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