New Delhi: New UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy arrived in India on Wednesday morning on his first official visit to the country since taking over the post earlier this month. He will hold talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar later in the day on strengthening the bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and on the FTA.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in a post on X said:
“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 & Great Britain stronger.”
A UK High Commission statement said that “UK growth is at the top of the agenda for the Foreign Secretary’s first visit to New Delhi”.
“David Lammy will highlight the importance of new partnership with India that focuses on economic, domestic and global security.
“He will hold high level meetings with the Indian Government as well as climate and business leaders.
“Economic, domestic and global security will be at the heart the Foreign Secretary’s first visit to India as he travels to New Delhi today to unlock the full potential of the UK-India partnership.
“On the visit, the Foreign Secretary will push for a reset of the UK-India partnership including through reinforcing the UK’s commitment to securing a Free Trade Agreement that will benefit both economies.
“He will tell his Indian counterpart that he wants to drive forward greater growth for both countries.
Ahead of his visit to India, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: “India is the 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.“
“Our Free Trade Agreement negotiations is the floor not the ceiling of our ambitions to unlock our shared potential and deliver growth, from Bengaluru to Birmingham.
“We have shared interests on the green transition, new technologies, economic security and global security.
“I am traveling 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.”
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.
In a visit to India’s third largest technology company, the Foreign Secretary will meet business leaders to highlight how the UK and India 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 statement said.
