UK Foreign Minister David Lammy arrives in Delhi on a two-day tour; FTA, security issues on agenda

New Delhi [India], July 24 (ANI): UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy arrived in the national capital on Wednesday morning (July 24) in the first high-level visit by the newly-elected Labour government in the UK.

Lammy is on a two-day tour to highlight the importance of a new partnership between the UK and India that focuses on economic, domestic and global security.

In his first visit to India, Lammy will hold meetings with external affairs minister Jaishankar and commerce minister Piyush Goyal. He will also meet climate and business leaders to unlock the full potential of the UK-India partnership, per the statement from the British High Commission.

The statement from the British High Commission also states that Lammy will push for a reset of the UK-India partnership, including by reinforcing the UK’s commitment to securing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) for greater growth in both countries.

Earlier, during his campaign, Lammy had 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.”

He said that the UK and India 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," he said.

David Lammy will galvanise support for accelerated action on the climate crisis with India as an indispensable partner, driving forward the clean energy transition and creating opportunities for British and Indian businesses. He will discuss partnering on Indian-led global initiatives to build clean power access, climate resilience in the global south and small island states, according to a release from the British High Commission.

Lammy will underscore the importance of the Living Bridge between the UK and India. It represents the 1.7 million people with Indian heritage who have made their home in the UK and made an exceptional contribution to British life, the statement from British High Commission said.

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 added.

The Foreign Secretary will also hold high-level talks with members of the Indian government, including the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, it said.

On this visit, Lammy will also highlight the extraordinary contribution of British Indians to enriching the UK's social and economic landscape, it added.

The statement from the British High Commission said that Lammy will highlight the importance of unlocking the potential of the new UK-India partnership, so both partners can deliver prosperity not just for the people of India and the UK but for the rest of the world.

The Foreign Secretary will travel on from India to the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Laos, where he will advance UK economic partnerships and unveil new cooperation on climate and health. (ANI)