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UK-India Trade Negotiations To Recommence In 2025
The UK is set to resume negotiations with India over a free trade agreement in the new year, following a break in discussions due to the recent elections in both nations, as confirmed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office on Monday.
Prime Minister Starmer aims to foster a “new strategic partnership” with India, with a focus on strengthening cooperation in key areas such as security, education, technology and climate change. This comes after Starmer’s meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 summit in Brazil, where both leaders discussed the path forward for UK-India relations.
“A new trade agreement with India will generate significant economic benefits, supporting jobs and prosperity across the UK,” said Starmer, whose Labour Party assumed office in July.
In addition to his discussions with Prime Minister Modi, Starmer also engaged with Chinese President Xi Jinping, urging the establishment of more “consistent and durable” ties between the two countries, particularly in areas such as trade, the economy, and climate change.
With a commitment to securing the fastest sustained economic growth within the G7, Starmer is positioning the UK to leverage trade agreements with key global partners. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has predicted that UK growth in 2025 will be the lowest among G7 nations, emphasising the importance of these international negotiations.
The previous Conservative administration had engaged in extensive trade talks with India, but these discussions stalled in March due to the Indian elections. A British official stated that finalising an agreement ahead of the Indian elections was not feasible.
Bilateral trade between the UK and India, the world’s fifth- and sixth-largest economies, was valued at £42 billion ($53.2 billion) in the 12 months leading up to June, with UK exports to India accounting for £16.6 billion.
Ahead of India’s general election earlier this year, which secured Modi a third consecutive term, there were indications that India would prioritise completing trade deals with the UK and Oman.
However, previous challenges in the negotiations have centred on issues such as India’s high import duties on British whiskey and its demand for greater visa access for Indian students and businesses.
“India remains a crucial trading partner for the UK. We are optimistic that a mutually beneficial trade agreement can be reached, benefiting both nations,” commented British Business Minister Jonathan Reynolds.
If you or your connections require legal advice, please contact Jayesh Jethwa or fill out our enquiry form below.
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Quastels Recognised in The Legal 500 UK 2025 Rankings
We are delighted to announce that Quastels has been recognised in this year’s The Legal 500 UK 2025 rankings across two categories:
- ‘Leading Firm’ in Commercial Property: Corporate Occupiers
- ‘Firm to Watch’ in Industry Focus: Retail & Consumer
About The Legal 500
The Legal 500 is one of the most prestigious legal directories, assessing and ranking law firms and lawyers based on independent research, client feedback, and industry expertise. Recognition in The Legal 500 is a testament to a firm’s high-quality legal services and strong client relationships.
At Quastels, we take great pride in our reputation for excellence and client satisfaction, and we are honoured to be acknowledged in this year’s rankings.
Key Rankings
Commercial Property: Corporate Occupiers
For the fourth consecutive year, our Commercial Property team has been ranked in the Commercial Property: Corporate Occupiers category. Additionally, we are proud to have earned a ‘Client Satisfaction’ badge, reflecting our dedication to exceptional service and expertise in this field.
The ranking highlights our extensive legal expertise, particularly in:
- Portfolio management
- Development transactions
- Pre-lets
- Joint ventures
Our practice spans the retail, leisure, and office sectors, delivering tailored advice to businesses navigating commercial property matters.
Recognised Legal Professionals
The Legal 500 ranking specifically commends our team leaders and key individuals for their contributions:
- Mark Cornelius (Partner and Co-head) – Recognised for his expertise in headquarters relocations, acquisitions, and disposals.
- Naomi Jones (Partner and Co-head) – Praised for her work in commercial real estate and conditional sale and purchase agreements.
- Aisha Anjum (Senior Associate) – Noted for her real estate finance work, regularly assisting property funds and institutional investors.
- Stephanie Houston (Senior Associate) – Recognised for her focus on the construction aspects of property-related joint ventures.
Client Testimonials
“They know their market and have solid experience. Approachable and ensures the task and advice is thorough and completed in appropriate timescale.”
“Naomi Jones – detailed, efficient, responsive, approachable and commercially minded. Highly recommended.”
“Mark Cornelius has a deep knowledge and understanding of commercial property. He is very personable and always provides legal advice which is clear, commercial and pragmatic, enabling us to close transactions without compromising on risk.”
“We have always experienced professionalism, reliability and commercial awareness with Quastels. The team provides invaluable guidance, backed by a wealth of expertise and experience. Quastels are our go-to for all legal matters, providing outstanding service every time.”
“Naomi Jones is fantastic and always gets the work done. She is available whenever we need her. She always delivers results. Her team is also fantastic.”
“Aisha Anjum is an absolute pleasure to work with – her knowledge is always relevant and concise. She works quickly and transparently, with any delays being communicated well in advance. She helped me navigate a particularly difficult lease reassignment in 2023 that tested everyone’s patience, but not Aisha’s! Absolutely unflappable, and extremely competent. Delighted to work with her and I look forward to our next transaction.”
Industry Focus: Retail & Consumer – ‘Firm to Watch’
This year, we are pleased to expand our presence in The Legal 500 rankings, being named a ‘Firm to Watch’ in the Retail & Consumer industry focus category.
Our Brands & Luxury sector offering received special recognition for its cross-disciplinary approach, providing legal expertise across Employment, Corporate & Commercial, and Real Estate.
The Legal 500 highlighted the contributions of:
A Commitment to Excellence
We are incredibly proud to be recognised in both Commercial Property: Corporate Occupiers and Retail & Consumer, reaffirming our standing as a trusted legal partner.
A heartfelt thank you to our clients, colleagues, and The Legal 500 for their continued support and kind words. This recognition motivates us to continue delivering exceptional service across all our practice areas.If you require legal assistance, please contact us – we would be delighted to help.
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Quastels Are ‘Employer Of The Year 2024’
A few weeks ago, we were honoured to be awarded ‘Employer of the Year 2024’ at the London Chamber of Commerce & Industry SME Awards.
We sat down with our Managing Partner, David Quastel, to discuss why he thinks we won this award, and his thoughts on the cultural success of the firm.
An Unexpected Win
“We actually went to the LCCI Awards to enjoy it,” David explains. At Quastels, we genuinely enjoy socialising with our colleagues, so when we decided to apply for the LCCI SME awards, we did so primarily with the mindset that it would be a great opportunity to thank some of our staff for their hard work and dedication to the firm with a fun evening out. We were having such a great time in each other’s company, enjoying the success of other winners, which meant that when our name was called, it was the cherry on the cake of an already wonderful evening. We were absolutely elated, and couldn’t wait to inform the rest of the firm of our collective success.
The Quastels Culture
When describing the internal culture of the firm, David says “There is a true collegiate environment, in which we enjoy working together.” It is evident through our many Culture Club activities, that members of the firm enjoy socialising together outside of the office, also. From monthly Book Club meetings and after-work socials, to annual sports days and Winter Wonderland trips, as well as our annual Company Offsite in which the whole firm goes abroad for a weekend, we offer many opportunities for our team to forge connections that enhance our collegiate spirit. This sense of collaboration is evident in the way in which we work, wherein clients engage the expertise of the whole firm, rather than of one specific solicitor.
The Benefit To Our Clients
Our collaborative nature benefits our clients as we are able to branch across departments seamlessly to foresee and solve potential problems, and can offer them a true advisory service, leaning on colleagues’ expertise when necessary. In his post-win red carpet interview, David enforces this point, stating “We’re a team, so it’s not any individual who takes acclaim for this.” We believe that our internal culture is reflected in our relationships with our clients, as they are more open to trusting us and relying upon us as advisors, rather than as functionaries.
“There’s no reason why just being a lawyer doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t enjoy yourself.”
David Quastel, CEO & Managing Partner
We thank everyone at Quastels for making this firm such a great place to work!
Thinking of joining us? Take a look at our current vacancies here.
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