British Foreign Secretary David Lammy was on a two-day visit to India to advance negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement and strengthen the bilateral partnership in crucial areas such as clean energy, new technologies, and security. Lammy met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and visited HCLTech’s campus in Noida.
Prime Minister Modi expressed his pleasure in meeting Lammy and praised UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for prioritising the deepening of the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Modi reaffirmed his commitment to elevating India-UK ties and welcomed a bilateral Technology Security Initiative and the desire to conclude a mutually beneficial FTA.
Lammy described the trade negotiations as the starting point for unlocking shared potential and delivering growth. He said, “This government will put growth at the heart of our foreign policy. That’s why three weeks into the job, I am in Delhi announcing a new Technology Security Initiative to deliver on the promise of the UK-India relationship.
“This will mean real action together on the challenges of the future from AI to critical minerals. Together we can unlock mutual growth, boost innovation, jobs and investment. We are also accelerating our joint work on the climate crisis – ensuring brighter, safer futures for Brits and Indians. This government is reconnecting Britain for our security and prosperity at home.’”
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar emphasised that the India-UK relationship holds immense potential and that realising this potential meaningfully is the current task, as he met with the Foreign Secretary.
His visit marks the first high-level engagement between India and the UK since Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government assumed office on July 5.
At HCLTech’s Noida campus, Lammy met with Chairperson Roshni Nadar Malhotra and visited an innovation lab. He was accompanied by Lindy Cameron, the British High Commissioner to India, Harjinder Kang, the British Trade Commissioner for South Asia, and other representatives from British companies. Lammy acknowledged India as a 21st-century superpower, emphasising its growing population and economy.
During his visit, Lammy also announced the UK-India Technology Security Initiative, which aims to expand collaboration in critical and emerging technologies across sectors like telecoms, AI, quantum technology, and semiconductors. This initiative, developed by the National Security Advisors of both countries, will guide how the UK and India work together on these technologies.
Lammy also agreed with Indian officials to refresh the UK-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, focusing on boosting economic growth and cooperation in trade, technology, education, culture, and climate. A new £7-million funding call for Future Telecoms research was announced under the India-UK science, technology, and innovation partnership.
Lammy emphasised that growth is central to the UK's foreign policy and highlighted the potential for joint action on future challenges, including AI and critical minerals, to drive innovation, jobs, and investment. He also stressed the importance of accelerating joint efforts to address the climate crisis.
Secretary of State for Science Peter Kyle noted that the UK and India are global leaders in science, innovation, and technology, and this new agreement will bring significant benefits to citizens of both nations. The partnership will focus on technologies like telecoms, semiconductors, biotechnology, and AI, which will unlock new opportunities and innovations.
Lammy and Indian officials also agreed to deepen climate partnership efforts, including mobilising finance and promoting clean growth initiatives. This includes strengthening investment partnerships to support Indian enterprises working on climate and technology, with a focus on green development and empowering women. Further collaboration on offshore wind, green hydrogen, forests, and building resilient cities of the future was also agreed upon.
Lammy was in Laos attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. On Friday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy met there and agreed to enhance communication and stabilise relations. During the meeting, Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, emphasised that the China-Britain relationship is mutually beneficial and fosters win-win cooperation.
He noted that both countries are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, major global economies, and share extensive exchanges, a solid foundation for cooperation, and deeply intertwined interests.
