Building on India-UK FTA, we have 150 UK firms working in AI space in India: UK Dy PM David Lammy

New Delhi [India], February 19 (ANI): UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy on Thursday stated that around 150 British companies are currently operating in India's artificial intelligence sector, building on the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the UK last year.
Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit 2026, Lammy congratulated India for hosting a successful summit that prioritised the Global South, noting that the event builds on the first AI summit held in the UK at Bletchley Park and strengthens bilateral trade and investment opportunities.
"It's been so exciting to be here in India, and I congratulate India for putting on a hugely successful summit and centring the Global South. And this builds, of course, on the first summit held in the UK at Bletchley Park; it builds on the trade agreement that the UK and India have signed, and the message that I bring is about growth, opportunity, and investment between both of our countries," Lammy said.
Highlighting the ease of collaboration between the two nations, he said the trade agreement is making it simpler for UK companies to sponsor Indian talent and facilitating visa entry for top talent to the United Kingdom.
"For UK companies that want to sponsor Indian talent, we're making it easier. It means that where we've got the very best talent, the visa entry we're making is easier too. Building on our free trade agreement, we've already got 150 UK companies working here in India in the AI space and across 250 organisations. The opportunities are hugely significant at this moment," he added.
India and the UK, in July 2025, took a significant step toward deepening their economic partnership with the signing of the CETA, inked by Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds in the presence of PM Modi and his UK counterpart, Keir Starmer.
The FTA represents a major milestone in India's engagement with leading developed economies and underscores a mutual commitment to enhancing economic integration. The signing of the India-UK CETA comes after the successful conclusion of negotiations announced on May 6, 2025.
Lammy also emphasised the UK's strengths in higher education, research and development, and innovation hubs, which present opportunities for further collaboration with India.
"The UK has a phenomenal higher education and science base, with huge investment in our R&D. We've opened five AI zones across the country, including in Scotland, to attract further investment. We're obviously pioneers in areas like life sciences, climate and energy, and pharmaceuticals. These are areas where the UK and India can work together so closely over the next period. It's incredibly exciting, this opportunity," he said.
Referring to his recent meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the summit, Lammy said discussions focused on deepening collaboration in AI, particularly in initiatives like agriculture, where India is leading innovation that benefits working communities across the Global South.
"This has been an exciting period for the UK-India relationship, building on two Prime Minister-to-Prime Minister visits last year. Today, I was pleased to meet Prime Minister Modi to congratulate him on a successful conference and see pioneering initiatives where AI can transform lives," he said.
Earlier, in a post on X, the UK Deputy PM stated that he had a "wonderful meeting" with PM Modi on the sidelines of the summit and noted that this was a crucial moment for international partners to collaborate to harness the full potential of AI.
"Wonderful meeting Narendra Modi at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. This is a pivotal moment to work with international partners to unlock AI's full potential with strong and fair safeguards in place - while driving growth and jobs for working people in India and in the UK," his post read. (ANI)