Rice could get cheaper under trade deal with India Boris Johnson hopes to sign ‘by Diwali’

RICE could get cheaper under a massive trade deal with India that Boris Johnson hopes to sign "by Diwali" in October.

The curry-complementing carb is one of several goods from India the PM wants to ditch costly tariffs from.

Clothes made in the South Asian country could also drop in price under an agreement. 

Britain is on the cusp of the huge trade deal with economic-power house India - with a quarter of the accord already agreed.

Keen to escape his Partygate woes, the PM today urged his Indian counterpart to speed up talks to get the deal “done by Diwali” in October.

The UK is dangling extra visas for Indians to work in the UK to sweeten the terms - with both sides agreeing to close it by the end of the year.

Speaking alongside Narendra Modi in New Delhi, BoJo said tearing down trade barriers would be a win-win for both countries.

Hailing the benefits of Brexit the PM said: "We are making full use of the freedom that we now have to reach a Free Trade Agreement.

"A deal where you can lift those tariffs, you can, India, Narendra, on our machinery and apples. 

"And we in turn, we can lift the tariffs on your rice and textiles."

He urged “best friend” Narendra Modi to speed up talks from next week.

The rewards of such a deal could be huge - BoJo stressed India will be bigger than the US and EU by 2050 in terms of population and the globe’s third-largest economy.

The pair revealed that four of the 16 chapters of the trade deal have already been closed, with talks continuing next week.

But The Sun understands the toughest bits of the deal on tariffs and access to Britain's services sector have yet to be discussed.

Two dozen Brits will travel to India next week for the expedited talks.

The PM will face fresh questions later today over his domestic political woes back home as he hosts a press conference at the end of his two day trip.

ROCKSTAR WELCOME

He received a rockstar reception in Gujarat on Thursday, that saw thousands line the streets to welcome the first sitting British PM to the region and giant posters welcoming him everywhere.

And arriving in the capital overnight, the PM was given the full red carpet treatment from the Indian premier.

Speaking today the PM said:  “I had an amazing reception – absolutely amazing– I felt like Sachin Tendulkar – my face was about as ubiquitous everywhere as Amitabh Bachchan."

“I was everywhere to be seen and it was fantastic."

BoJo gushed: "My friend, Prime Minister Modi, Narendra, my khaas dost – is the phrase I wanted in Hindi. We’ve had a fantastic two days in India.”

On the trade deal he added: “As the next round of talks begins here next week, we are telling our negotiators: get it done by Diwali in October. Get it done by Diwali.

“This could double our trade and investment by the end of the decade widening that living bridge into a multi-lane motorway – pulivating with beautiful jointly made electric vehicles and creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs in both our countries.”

And Modi agreed, saying the deal could easily be completed by the end of the year.