In a sharp political jab at the Central government, the Indian National Congress on Wednesday called for a different kind of FTA between India and the United Kingdom — not a Free Trade Agreement, but a Fugitive Transfer Agreement. The remarks were made as the two countries continue to negotiate their much-anticipated Free Trade Agreement, which has seen several rounds of high-level discussions but remains incomplete.

Congress’ statement comes as a biting criticism of the Modi-led government, questioning its inability to bring back high-profile economic offenders who have taken shelter in the United Kingdom.

Congress’ Statement and Its Political Tone

“What India needs from the United Kingdom is an FTA — not a Free Trade Agreement, but a Fugitive Transfer Agreement,” the Congress said, aiming its criticism squarely at the Narendra Modi government’s foreign policy and legal diplomacy.

The statement, loaded with sarcasm, was meant to highlight the fact that India has been unsuccessful in extraditing several fugitives, such as Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya, and Mehul Choksi, despite repeated assurances and legal proceedings.

The UK, being a safe haven for many of India’s economic offenders, has often been criticised by Indian law enforcement agencies and political parties. However, Congress alleged that the government had not prioritised the issue strongly enough during its bilateral talks with the British authorities.

The Background: A Tale of Escaped Economic Offenders

India’s economic landscape in the last decade has witnessed a series of high-value financial frauds, most notably involving public sector banks and large conglomerates. Several prominent businessmen fled the country either before or during legal investigations. Among them, Vijay Mallya (accused in a multi-thousand crore loan default case), Nirav Modi (linked to the ₹13,000 crore Punjab National Bank scam), and Mehul Choksi have been particularly difficult to bring back due to lengthy legal processes in foreign jurisdictions.

While India has signed Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs) with many countries, extradition requests often get entangled in legal and human rights considerations in host countries, particularly the UK, which has a strong judicial review mechanism.

Despite these hurdles, Congress believes that more aggressive diplomatic engagement could yield results, and the lack of a dedicated bilateral Fugitive Transfer Agreement with the UK is a glaring omission in India’s foreign policy.

India-UK Free Trade Agreement: Where It Stands

The India-UK Free Trade Agreement is currently in its 14th round of negotiations, with both sides keen to unlock economic potential across sectors such as automobile, alcohol, pharmaceuticals, services, and technology. However, the Congress party has used the opportunity to redirect attention to what it calls a more urgent national priority — ensuring economic justice by bringing fugitives to book.

The Congress party’s remarks signal its intent to take the economic offence and fugitive issue back to centre stage, particularly as the nation heads into important state elections and gears up for the next general elections.

According to the Opposition, symbolic announcements and photo ops in London cannot substitute for real justice for Indian citizens who have suffered due to massive bank frauds.

Why a Fugitive Transfer Agreement Matters

India’s legal process for extradition is currently slow and dependent on multilateral conventions and goodwill. Countries like the UK have, on multiple occasions, delayed or declined extradition based on concerns about prison conditions, fair trial concerns, and political motivations.

A dedicated Fugitive Transfer Agreement between India and the UK would provide a streamlined, bilateral legal mechanism that could bypass many of the delays posed by general extradition frameworks.

Such an agreement could include:

• Fast-tracked judicial processes for economic offences.

• Recognition of Indian judicial orders in UK courts.

• Time-bound repatriation commitments once prima facie guilt is established.

• Clarity on non-political nature of financial crimes, ensuring that extradition does not become a rights debate.

Congress argues that the failure to press for such an agreement reflects weak foreign policy priorities and a preference for optics over substance.

Public Reaction and Media Discourse

The call for a Fugitive Transfer Agreement has stirred significant interest on social media, with hashtags like #BringThemBack and #FugitiveFTA trending across platforms. Public anger remains high against economic offenders who have looted thousands of crores from public sector banks, especially when ordinary citizens are burdened with EMIs and taxes.

Commentators and legal experts also weighed in, saying that India’s extradition efforts, while improved over the years, still lack bilateral depth. Most of India's extradition success stories — such as Abu Salem from Portugal — have involved long timelines and legal setbacks. The case of Nirav Modi, where the UK courts acknowledged mental health issues as a barrier to extradition, is a case in point.

Political Stakes and International Pressure

India is also under pressure internationally to strengthen its financial systems and criminal accountability mechanisms, especially with its growing stature in forums like G20 and its aspirations for greater global trade leadership.

Opposition parties like Congress are therefore not just playing political opposition, but also highlighting gaps in international cooperation that could damage India’s image as a responsible financial power.

By emphasising the need for a Fugitive Transfer Agreement, Congress is urging the government to go beyond trade and investment and focus on justice, accountability, and national integrity.

Conclusion

The Congress party’s recent comments have added a layer of political satire and seriousness to India’s ongoing negotiations with the United Kingdom. While the Free Trade Agreement aims to unlock economic potential, the call for a Fugitive Transfer Agreement reminds the government of its duty to bring back fugitives who have escaped justice.

As India continues to project itself as an emerging global power, addressing issues of economic fugitives with stronger bilateral legal tools becomes both a strategic and moral imperative.

The ball is now in the government's court — whether it will address these concerns with the same urgency as it does trade pacts, or continue to rely on existing slow-moving legal frameworks.

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