New Delhi: British Foreign Secretary David Lammy arrived in India on Wednesday to begin his first official visit since the Labour Party formed the government earlier this month. He is expected to meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar along with other ministers and leaders, and is expected to hold talks on the long-negotiated India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as well as domestic and global security.
"Warm welcome to UK Foreign Secretary @DavidLammy as he arrives in New Delhi on his first official visit since the assumption of office. The visit will strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries and will make the 'living bridge' between India and Britain stronger," said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on X.
According to a statement by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Lammy is scheduled to hold meetings with his Indian counterpart Jaishankar along with other ministers and business leaders. Economic, domestic and global security will be at the heart of Lammy's first visit to New Delhi.
David Lammy's agenda in India
"I am travelling to India in my first month as Foreign Secretary because resetting our relationship with the Global South is a key part of how this government will reconnect Britain for our security and prosperity at home,” Lammy said in a pre-visit statement. The Labour Cabinet minister described India as an emerging superpower of the 21st century, the largest country in the world with 1.4 billion people and one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.
During his talks in Delhi, Lammy is set to discuss partnering on Indian-led global initiatives to build clean power access and climate resilience in the Global South and small island states. He will also visit a technology company to interact with business leaders to highlight how India and the UK are working together on shared ambitions such as “cutting-edge science to encourage innovation, boost trade, and improve the livelihoods of working people in both countries”.
“The Foreign Secretary will underscore the importance of the Living Bridge between the UK and India. It represents the 1.7 million people with Indian heritage that have made their home in the UK and make an exceptional contribution to British life,” an FCDO statement said, adding that the Foreign Secretary will underscore the importance of the 'Living Bridge' between the two countries.
India-UK Free Trade Agreement
The FTA talks began in January 2022, with Diwali 2022 set as the initial deadline by former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Under Sunak-led Tory government, no new timelines were set but both sides were looking to get things signed off before a general election year in India and the UK in 2024. However, the trade talks stalled as Sunak abruptly called for elections on July 4, a month after the results of the Lok Sabha elections were announced.
The FTA set a target to significantly boost the GBP 38.1 billion a year bilateral trading partnership. India and the UK have held 13 rounds of talks on the FTA and the 14th round started in January, where they were looking at sealing it by bridging differences on certain contentious issues including mobility of people and import duty concessions on certain items. There are 26 chapters in the agreement, including goods, services, investments, and intellectual property rights.
Lammy previously expressed his determination to “finally get our free trade deal done and move on”. The FCDO said India is seen as an "indispensable partner" for accelerated action on the climate crisis, with the ministerial visit aimed at driving forward the clean energy transition agenda and creating opportunities for British and Indian businesses.
(with inputs from agencies)