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The Wire
a day ago
- Business
- The Wire
'We Now Need to Create Opportunities Across Sectors' - UK Minister Patrick Vallance Urges Deeper UK–India Science Partnerships
Science Museum hosts IGF Future Frontiers Forum spotlighting science, tech & innovation collaboration between India and UK NEW DELHI and LONDON, June 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- At the Future Frontiers Forum hosted by IGF London, Patrick J. Vallance, UK Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation, called for intensified UK–India collaboration in science and technology, urging both nations to align their innovation priorities and unlock sector-wide opportunities. "The industrial strategy coming out in just a couple of weeks which will list the eight sectors we are working on. That's got to be a good foundation for where there can be partnerships," Vallance stated. "India has its focus areas, we have ours, now we need to create opportunities across those sectors." Speaking at the Science Museum, Vallance emphasised the importance of people-to-people scientific ties: "I believe government-to-government relationships in science do not drive everything; we must also create scientist-to-scientist relationships. Academic links and the exchange of people often drive collaborations. Start-ups in particular are becoming central to the innovation ecosystem, and we need more of them in the UK–India mix." The forum, part of IGF London 2025, brought together government leaders, global CEOs, investors, and academics to explore frontier technologies across AI, climate tech, sustainable energy, health innovation, and quantum computing. Opening the event, Sir Ian Blatchford, Director of the Science Museum, celebrated the UK–India Science and Innovation Partnership Roadmap and its focus on critical and emerging technologies. "The Technology Security Initiative is a landmark step," he said. "Imperial College's science hub in Bengaluru will drive collaboration in AI, healthtech, cleantech, and advanced materials, backed by $170 million in joint UK–India funding." India's Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal highlighted the FTA's role in strengthening innovation ecosystems: "It's not just about trade or investment. The FTA demonstrates that India and the UK are friends and allies. Innovation in India happens at a fraction of global costs. What takes 10x the cost in the US or Europe can be done efficiently in India, with mutual benefit." Sir Oliver Dowden, former UK Deputy Prime Minister, reinforced the values-based alignment between the two democracies: "We must deepen ties with like-minded nations. UK and India share heritage, rule of law, and a commitment to science. Whether it's 6G or quantum, setting international standards together creates a win-win." Health innovation was another key focus, with leaders like Lord Ara Darzi, Alisha Moopen (Aster DM Healthcare), and Monica Huang (Zydus Lifesciences) exploring how India's affordable, tech-driven models could support the UK's struggling NHS. "The NHS isn't in critical condition, but it needs urgent reform," said Lord Darzi. "India's transformative health solutions and COVID-era support show the intellectual and production power we must now collaborate with." A major highlight was the return of Pitchers and Punters, a curated showcase of Indian start-ups pitching to a jury of international investors. Among the standout companies were Zypp Electric, Lina Energy, Steamology Motion Ltd and Electric Miles—with Zypp Electric winning the Clean Tech Award, presented by Octopus Energy. The punters included Neha Manaktala (JP Morgan Climate Tech), Richard Heald (EET), James Edison (Octopus Energy) and Bhavit Sheth (Dream11 & Dream Sports) who praised the depth of Indian innovation in sustainability and AI. Other sessions featured voices like Daniel D'Souza (DreamSetGo), Reena Dayal (Quantum Ecosystems Council of India), and experts from EET, exploring opportunities across deep tech, telecom, and digital health. As global tech landscapes grow more complex and fragmented, IGF London's Future Frontiers Forum showcased a clear vision: the UK and India must build trusted, innovation-led alliances that translate ambition into scalable action. The forum forms part of IGF London 2025. With over 100 speakers, 1000 participants, and events across iconic venues in London, IGF London 2025 encompasses a spectrum of topics - from technology and trade to culture and commerce. This year's edition marks a powerful milestone - a decade since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's landmark 2015 visit to the UK, and the two nations have finalised the long-awaited Free Trade Agreement. IGF London is the first major international platform to celebrate and analyse this historic achievement, unlock new opportunities that emerge from its conclusion, and shape the next phase of UK-India collaboration. About India Global Forum India Global Forum tells the story of contemporary India. The pace of change and growth India has set itself is an opportunity for the world. IGF is the gateway for businesses and nations to help seize that opportunity. To know more, click here. Social Media Handles & Hashtag to Follow Twitter: @IGFUpdates & @manojladwa LinkedIn: India Global Forum #IGFLondon Photo: Logo - (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). This is an auto-published feed from PTI with no editorial input from The Wire.
Indian Express
08-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
UPSC Key: India-UK ties, First ASW-SWC Arnala, and Buddhist relics
Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for June 8, 2025. If you missed the June 7, 2025, UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here. Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Main Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests. What's the ongoing story: After meeting visiting UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy Saturday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that India follows a policy of 'zero tolerance against terrorism' and expects its partners to understand that Delhi will never 'countenance' the equivalence of perpetrators and victims. Key Points to Ponder: • What is the history of India-UK relations? • What are the areas of cooperation between India and the UK? • What steps has India taken to strengthen trade ties with the United Kingdom? • Read about the Technology Security Initiative (TSI), UK-India Programme of Cultural Cooperation. • What is the significance of the India-UK FTA? • What is the India-UK Double Contribution Convention? • What is a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)? How many countries has India signed FTAs with? • What are the challenges in India-UK ties? Key Takeaways: • Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who met Lammy as well, said: 'Pleased to meet UK Foreign Secretary Mr David Lammy. Appreciate his substantive contribution to the remarkable progress in our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, further strengthened by the recently concluded FTA. Value UK's support for India's fight against cross-border terrorism.' • This is the first visit by a Foreign Minister from a P-5 country to India after the India-Pakistan hostilities last month. Lammy had visited Islamabad on May 16, when he had welcomed the ceasefire between India and Pakistan. • Jaishankar said that recent conclusion of the India-UK FTA and the Double Contribution Convention is 'truly a milestone' which will not only propel two-way trade and investment but will have also have a 'positive effect on other strategic aspects of our bilateral ties, it would also contribute to the strengthening of supply and value chains'. • He said that the Technology Security Initiative (TSI) will enable deeper collaboration in strategic technology sectors of AI, Semiconductors, Telecom, Quantum, HealthTech/ Bio-Tech, Critical Minerals and Advanced Materials. • The two sides have also launched the Strategic Exports and Technology Cooperation Dialogue which will increase TSI's effectiveness in promoting trade in critical and emerging technologies, including the resolution of relevant licensing or regulatory issues. • According to the British High Commission, bolstering economic and migration ties and delivering further growth opportunities for British businesses are top on Lammy's agenda. • 'The visit follows the historic Free Trade Agreement agreed between the two countries and will deliver on this government's commitment to boost jobs and prosperity. The new deal with India is expected to increase bilateral trade by over £25 billion every year, UK GDP by £4.8 billion, and wages by £2.2 billion each year in the long run, putting money back in the pockets of working people,' it said. Do You Know: • On May 2, the UK and India signed a new UK-India Programme of Cultural Cooperation to boost collaboration across the arts and culture, creative industries, tourism and sport sectors. The agreement will open the door for increased UK creative exports to India and enable more partnerships between UK and Indian museums and cultural institutions, helping to grow UK soft power. • On May 6, India and the UK concluded a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The deal grants India zero-duty access to all industrial goods and eliminates import tariffs on over 99.3 per cent of animal products, 99.8 per cent of vegetable/oil products, and 99.7 per cent processed foods. • India is the 12th largest trading partner of the UK, but with a meagre 1.8 per cent ($15.3 billion) share in goods imported to the country. The UK exports goods worth $512.9 billion, mainly to the US ($71.3 billion), China ($46.4 billion) and Germany ($38.8 billion). • India remains the UK's second-largest source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), after only the United States. The United Kingdom is the sixth largest investor in India. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Stitching a new story 📍Takeaways from India-UK Free Trade deal: First off the block, bipartisan, deepens bilateral economy story 📍Four ways in which India gains from an FTA with the UK UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme: (1) Which among the following is a joint military exercise between India and the United Kingdom (a) Ajeya Warrior (b) Mitra Shakti (c) Indra (4) Varua (2) We adopted parliamentary democracy based on the British model, but how does our model differ from that model? (UPSC CSE 2021) 1. As regards legislation, the British Parliament is supreme or sovereign but in India, the power of the Parliament to legislate is limited. 2. In India, matters related to the constitutionality of Amendment of an Act of the Parliament are referred to the Constitution Bench by the Supreme Court. Select the correct answer using the code given below. (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance, History of India Mains Examination: General Studies-I: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times. What's the ongoing story: A CRYSTAL casket believed to be over 2,300 years old was found along with four other caskets at Piprahwa (ancient Kapilavastu) in Uttar Pradesh during an excavation in 1898. Key Points to Ponder: • What are the Piprahwa relics, and why is India trying to stop their auction? • Know about the Brahmi script. • What is India's Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972? • Rise of Buddhism in India and Gautam Buddha or Siddharth – Know in Detail • Know in detail about the doctrines of Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths, the Five Precepts and the Eightfold Path. • When, where and under which king's patronage were the first, second, third and fourth Buddhist councils held? • Read about these: various sects of Buddhism, the spread of Buddhism, and the decline of Buddhism. • Map work – Mark Important Buddhist Sites in India • Read about the Buddhist Circuit. Key Takeaways: • The fish-shaped knob of the 5 cm x 10 cm casket contains precious gems and gold leaves. Another casket, found in a stone coffer buried 18 feet under the ground, has an inscription in Brahmi script that roughly translates as: 'the casket containing the relics of Lord Buddha was donated by Sukirti brothers along with their sisters, sons and wives belonging to the Sakya clan'. • For more than 127 years, several such sacred Buddhist relics from the third century BC, including the five caskets, a sandstone coffer and 221 gems and jewels, were kept in the secure vaults of the Indian Museum in Kolkata — conserved and preserved, never exposed to the public. • Now, for the first time ever, the Ministry of Culture is planning an exposition of these relics of Lord Buddha that were deposited by the Sakyas, his kin, and found in a stupa belonging to Emperor Ashoka, The Indian Express has learnt. • According to records, during the January 1898 excavation at a mound in Birdpur Estate, William Claxton Peppe — son of a British estate manager — unearthed an 18-foot shaft leading to a sandstone coffer containing the relics, which also included sacred bones and ashes. Recognising the religious importance of the relics, the then Viceroy of India, Lord Elgin II, donated the sacred bones and ashes to Siamese King Rama V. However, the caskets, coffer, and associated relics were retained in India, in the custody of the Imperial Museum, which is now known as the Indian Museum, Kolkata, its Director in-charge Arijit Dutta Choudhury told The Indian Express. • Recently, the Culture Ministry sent a legal notice to Sotheby's Hong Kong to stop the auction of a part of the sacred relics that were held by Peppe's family, and asked that the items be returned to India. Although the auction house stopped the auction — slated for May 7 — India's legal claim on such items is yet to yield any result. • The attempted sale of the Piprahwa Buddhist relics at Sotheby's has raised global concerns as it commodified the sacred remains believed to be of Lord Buddha. For many across the globe, such relics are not artefacts but living embodiments of faith, said Khushi Kesari, Program Officer-History Lab: Community, Heritage & Material Culture, Advanced Study Institute of Asia at SGT University in Gurugram. Do You Know: • Buddhism emerged in India around the fifth-sixth centuries BC during a period that scholars call 'the second urbanisation of India', a time of great socio-cultural change in the Gangetic plains. It emerged, along with other heterodox traditions such as Jainism, as a response to Vedic Hinduism's highly rigid and ritualistic ways. • India is home to numerous Buddhist sites that attract devotees and tourists from around the world. These sacred sites not only offer a glimpse into the ancient traditions and teachings of Buddhism but also provide serene environments for meditation and reflection. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍What are the Piprahwa relics, and why is India trying to stop their auction? 📍Knowledge Nugget | Conclave on Buddhism: Must-know teachings, paths, and sects of Buddhism for UPSC Exam Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (3) With reference to ancient India, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2023) 1. The concept of Stupa is Buddhist in origin. 2. Stupa was generally a repository of relics. 3. The stupa was a votive and commemorative structure in Buddhist tradition. How many of the statements given above are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure. What's the ongoing story: Preventive detention is an extraordinary power in the hands of the state that must be used sparingly, said the Supreme Court as it set aside an order to detain a man indulging in money lending in Kerala. Key Points to Ponder: • What is preventive detention? • What are the constitutional provisions related to preventive detention? • Detention is of two types, namely, punitive and preventive. Know them in detail. • Under what laws can the state order preventive detention? • Article 22 confers certain rights on a person who is arrested or detained under an ordinary law. What are they? • What are the fundamental rights provided to citizens of India in the Constitution? Key Takeaways: • A bench of justices Sanjay Karol and Manmohan said the circumstances pointed out in the order by the detaining authority may be ground enough for the state to approach the competent courts for cancellation of bail in cases against him, but it cannot be said that the same warranted his preventive detention. • Noting that the power of preventive detention finds recognition in the Constitution under Article 22(3)(b), the bench said, 'The provision for preventive detention is an extraordinary power in the hands of the state that must be used sparingly. It curtails the liberty of an individual in anticipation of the commission of further offence(s), and therefore, must not be used in the ordinary course of nature.' Do You Know: • Article 22 of Constitution of India prescribes protection against arrest and detention but has a major exception. It says in Article 22 (3) (b) that none of those safeguards apply 'to any person who is arrested or detained under any law providing for preventive detention.' The remaining clauses — Article 22(4)-(7) — deal with how preventive detention operationalises. • First, the state, which would be the district magistrate, would issue an order to detain a person when it is necessary to maintain 'public order.' The state can delegate this power to the police as well. • If the detention ordered is for more than three months, under Article 22(4), such a detention requires the approval of an Advisory Board. These Boards are set up by states and normally consist of retired judges and bureaucrats. A detainee is generally not allowed legal representation before the Board. If the Board confirms the detention, the detainee can move Court challenging the detention order. • Article 22(5) of the Constitution mandates that the state is required 'as soon as maybe,' to communicate to the detainee the grounds of detention and 'shall afford him the earliest opportunity of making a representation against the order.' • A basic set of facts that are the grounds for detention are required to be communicated in one instalment, and the state cannot then add fresh, new or additional grounds to strengthen its original detention order. The grounds have to be read in a language that the detainee understands. • However, even this safeguard is diluted to a certain extent by Article 22(6), which says that nothing in clause 5 shall require the state to 'disclose facts that the state considers to be ' against the public interest to disclose.' Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Preventive detention by routine exercise of powers must be nipped in bud: Supreme Court UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme: (4) With reference to the preventive detention, consider the following statements: 1. It means detention of a person by the state without trial and conviction by court, but merely on suspicion. 2. Article 22 prescribes protection against arrest and detention but has a major exception. 3. Detention period up to the period of one year does not require the approval of an Advisory Board. How many of the statements given above are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance- Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues Mains Examination: General Studies-I, II: Population and Associated Issues, Government Policies & Interventions, Constitution of India. What's the ongoing story: Deeptiman Tiwary writes– 'The announcement of Census, to be conducted in two phases in 2026 and 2027, opens the doors to not only delimitation and the implementation of the Women's Reservation Bill but also paves the way for the National Population Register (NPR) to be updated and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise.' Key Points to Ponder: • What is a census? Who has the power to conduct the census in India? • What is the significance of the census? • How has the census evolved historically in India? • What is the role of the census in social mobility? • How is the census conducted in India? • How are census data and delimitation related? • Read about the National Population Register (NPR) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). • What are the issues and challenges associated with NPR and NRC? Key Takeaways: • 'Sources said that while the NPR would likely be updated during the house listing phase of the Census next year, taking it forward to the NRC remains the government's decision.' • 'While the government's announcement on Wednesday made no mention of either NPR or NRC, Census enumeration and updating the NPR were cleared back in December 2019 by the Cabinet. It was then supposed to happen in 2020 along with the housing listing phase of the Census, but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The government has already allocated a budget of close to Rs 4000 crore for the exercise.' • 'The NPR is the precursor to the NRC and the same stands enshrined in law. The NPR, which is an enumeration of the 'usual residents' of the country and is a data collection exercise based on voluntary disclosure of information by people, is governed by the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003. The rules were framed under sub-sections (1) and (3) of Section 18 of the Citizenship Act, 1955.' • 'Under Rule 3, which provides for NRC, sub-rule (4), says, 'The Central Government may, by an order issued in this regard, decide a date by which the Population Register shall be prepared by collecting information relating to all persons who are usually residing within the jurisdiction of Local Registrar.' • 'Sub-rule (5) of the Rule then says, ' The Local Register of Indian citizens shall contain details of persons after due verification made from the Population Register.' • Under Rule 4, titled 'Preparation of the National Register of Indian Citizens', sub-rule 4 says, 'During the verification process, particulars of such individuals, whose Citizenship is doubtful, shall be entered by the Local Registrar with appropriate remark in the Population Register for further enquiry and in case of doubtful Citizenship, the individual or the family shall be informed in a specified proforma immediately after the verification process is over.' • 'The data for NPR was first collected in 2010 along with the house listing phase of the 2011 Census. In 2015, this data was further updated in a door-to-door survey.' • 'Conducting the NRC had been inserted in the Citizenship Act of 1955 through an amendment in 2003 under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. The government at the time, among other amendments, inserted Section 14A into the principal Act that says, 'The Central Government may compulsorily register every citizen of India and issue national identity card to him … The Central Government may maintain a National Register of Indian Citizens and for that purpose establish a National Registration Authority … On and from the date of commencement of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2003, the Registrar General, India, appointed under sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 (18 of 1969) shall act as the National Registration Authority and he shall function as the Registrar General of Citizen Registration.' Do You Know: • The Government recently said the process of data collection for the Census, along with caste enumeration, would commence early next year and give the snapshot of the country's population as on March 1, 2027. The last Census provided population data as on March 1, 2011. The next Census was due in 2020-2021, but was delayed due to Covid pandemic. • The exercise this year will officially begin with a notification announcing the government's intent of conducting the Population Census to be published in an official gazette tentatively on June 16 this year. • The Census would be conducted in two phases — house listing and population count. House listing, the first phase, is expected to take about 5-6 months and the population count, which is the second phase, sources said, is expected to start in February 2027 and will be completed in a month. • The reference date for hilly areas, including the Union Territory of Ladakh, and snow-bound areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, is October 1, 2026. For the rest of India, it is March 1, 2027. The reference date is the specific point of time for which the data on population is collected. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | Census and Delimitation: 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains 📍Long wait ends, Census by March 2027, will include caste count too Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (5) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2009) 1. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001, the density of the population of India has increased more than three times. 2. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001, the annual growth rate (exponential) of the population of India has doubled. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance. Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Government Policies & Interventions, Indigenization of Technology, Defence Technology What's the ongoing story: The Indian Navy will induct nine to 10 warships between June and December 2025, significantly expanding its fleet. The first of these—the Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow-Water Craft (ASW-SWC) Arnala—is scheduled for commissioning on 18 June at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam. Key Points to Ponder: • Read about the Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow-Water Craft (ASW-SWC) Arnala. • Know about the INS Tamal and INS Tushil. • What is Project 75? • What is the significance of the induction of ASW-SWC Arnala into the Indian Navy? • What is the importance of stealth and anti-submarine capabilities in modern naval warfare? Key Takeaways: • This would significantly bolster India's naval fleet and most of the ships to be commissioned have been made indigenously, officials said. • The Navy said that Arnala's commissioning will mark the formal induction of the first of sixteen ASW-SWC ships into the Indian Navy. These vessels have been designed and constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, under a Public–Private Partnership with L&T Shipbuilders. • Named after the historic Arnala Fort in Vasai, Maharashtra, Arnala is equipped for a range of anti-submarine warfare operations, including subsurface surveillance, search-and-rescue missions, and low-intensity maritime tasks. • At 77.6 m in length and over 1,490 gross tonnes, Arnala is the largest Indian naval warship to be propelled by a diesel-engine–waterjet combination, the Navy said. • INS Tamal, the second Talwar-class stealth frigate under a 2016 Indo-Russian agreement, is set to be commissioned by the end of this month. Tamal is one of four frigates acquired in a $2.5 billion deal with Russia: two were constructed in Russia, and two at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) with Russian technology transfer. Its sister ship, INS Tushil, was commissioned in December 2024 at Russia's Yantar Shipyard and reached India in February 2025. • The Indian Navy aims to become a 175-ship by 2035. An official said that the Navy is close to achieving full self-reliance in warship building and this is showing in the way ships are getting commissioned faster than before. • INS Vagsheer, the sixth Kalvari-class submarine under Project 75, was commissioned in January 2025. This diesel-electric submarine operates underwater on battery power and on the surface using diesel engines, offering silent patrol capability close to the coast. • Staff evaluation and cost negotiations for Project 75I—which will build six advanced conventional attack submarines—are currently under way. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Navy launches indigenously-built ship 'Arnala' in Chennai Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for May 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Roshni Yadav is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She is an alumna of the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University, where she pursued her graduation and post-graduation in Political Science. She has over five years of work experience in ed-tech and media. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. Her interests lie in national and international affairs, governance, economy, and social issues. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
Hindustan Times
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
No tolerance for terror, allies must understand, says India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and external affairs minister S Jaishankar reiterated India's 'zero tolerance' policy for terrorism and the need for decisive international action against terror and those who support it during meetings with British foreign secretary David Lammy on Saturday. Modi said India valued Britain's backing for the fight against cross-border terrorism while Jaishankar said India's partners should understand the 'zero tolerance' policy for terrorism as the country will never accept the perpetrators of terrorism being treated at par with victims. The remarks by the top Indian leadership, made against the backdrop of several countries hyphenating India and Pakistan during last month's military clashes, reiterated to the world community New Delhi's new approach to fighting cross-border terrorism backed by Islamabad. Britain's foreign office had said before Lammy's meeting with Indian interlocutors that he would address how the current peace between India and Pakistan can be supported for regional stability. ALSO READ | UK expresses support for India's fight against cross-border terrorism Modi said in a social media post after meeting Lammy that he values 'UK's support for India's fight against cross-border terrorism'. He also appreciated Lammy's 'substantive contribution to the remarkable progress in our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, further strengthened by the recently concluded FTA'. A statement from the external affairs ministry said Modi had 'underscored the need for a decisive international action against terrorism and those who support it' - an apparent reference to Pakistan. The two leaders discussed regional and global issues and Lammy 'strongly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and expressed support for India's fight against cross-border terrorism', the statement said. Modi also expressed satisfaction at the conclusion of the free trade agreement (FTA) and the double contribution convention and expressed satisfaction at the deepening of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership. He welcomed continued collaboration under the Technology Security Initiative (TSI), especially its potential to 'shape trusted and secure innovation ecosystems'. Modi also reiterated his invitation to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to visit India. ALSO READ | Terrorism no proxy war, but planned one: Modi Lammy arrived in New Delhi on Saturday morning for meetings to review the bilateral partnership, especially trade and strategic ties, a month after India and the UK finalised the FTA. Lammy had visited Pakistan shortly after New Delhi and Islamabad reached an understanding on halting military actions on May 10. In his opening remarks at the meeting with Lammy, Jaishankar thanked the UK government for the strong condemnation of the 'barbaric terrorist attack' in Pahalgam and its support to India in the fight against terror. 'We practice a policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and expect our partners to understand it, and we will never countenance perpetrators of evil being put at par with its victims,' he said. Lammy responded by referring to the 'horrific terrorist attack' and said Prime Minister Starmer had asked him to convey the 'deep condolences of the UK and a hand of friendship with India and support as we deal with the terrorism threat in a comprehensive manner'. Jaishankar described the finalisation of the FTA and double contribution convention as a milestone that will boost two-way trade and investment and have a 'positive effect on other strategic aspects' of bilateral relations, besides strengthening supply and value chains. ALSO READ | 'New normal': Shashi Tharoor on India's approach towards terrorism with Operation Sindoor He also referred to other significant initiatives that have seen progress, such as the TSI for deeper collaboration in strategic sectors such as AI, semiconductors, telecom, quantum computing, health technology, critical minerals and advanced materials. The TSI, coordinated by the national security advisers of India and the UK, was launched during Lammy's last visit to New Delhi in July 2024. 'We have also launched the Strategic Exports and Technology Cooperation Dialogue, the first meeting of which was held…this week. This will enhance, among others, the TSI's effectiveness in promoting trade in critical and emerging technologies, including the resolution of relevant licencing or regulatory issues,' Jaishankar said. The India-UK infrastructure financial bridge can unlock quality long-term capital flows from Britain to India and contribute to infrastructure development, and there is also good collaboration in the education sector with many UK universities planning to establish campuses in India, he said. Lammy described the finalisation of the FTA as Britain winning a 'trophy' and the beginning of a new era in bilateral ties since it is expected to increase will trade by £25.5 billion. He also conveyed the UK's interest in enhancing cooperation in key sectors such as trade, investment, defence and security, technology, innovation and clean energy. Lammy also met commerce minister Piyush Goyal and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. A readout from Britain's foreign office said bolstering economic and migration ties and delivering growth opportunities for British businesses topped the agenda for Lammy's visit. Lammy also focused on the migration partnership, including 'work on safeguarding citizens and securing borders in both countries'. The readout added, 'Addressing migration remains a top priority for the government - the Foreign Secretary is focused on working internationally with global partners to secure the UK's borders at home.' Lammy's visit would also prepare the grounds for a visit by Starmer to India for the formal signing of the FTA. Both countries are currently involved in the legal scrubbing of the FTA, a process expected to be completed in three months. During 2023-24, India was the UK's second largest source of investments in terms of number of projects for the fifth consecutive year. India was the UK's 11th largest trading partner in 2024, accounting for 2.4% of total British trade, and two-way trade in goods and services was worth nearly $57 billion in 2024. The FTA is expected to increase bilateral trade by $34 billion a year from 2040. Within a decade of the deal being implemented, 85% of British products will become tariff-free in India. Indian tariffs on alcohol will be cut from 150% to 75%, falling to 40% by the 10th year of the deal. India will also cut automotive tariffs from more than 100% to 10%. The UK too has agreed to cut its tariffs and 99% of India's exports to Britain will face no duties.
India Gazette
07-06-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
David Lammy calls on PM Modi, conveys UK's strong interest in furthering cooperation in key sectors
New Delhi [India], June 7 (ANI): UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) shared the details of the meeting in an official statement. As per the MEA, PM Modi expressed satisfaction at the successful conclusion of the India-UK Free Trade Agreement and Double Contribution Convention and appreciated the constructive engagement by both sides that led to this milestone. PM Modi also welcomed the growing momentum in bilateral ties and expressed satisfaction at the deepening of the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He welcomed the continued collaboration under the Technology Security Initiative and noted its potential to shape trusted and secure innovation ecosystems. The statement noted that Foreign Secreatary David Lammy conveyed UK's strong interest in further enhancing cooperation across key sectors including trade and investment, defence and security, technology, innovation, and clean energy. He expressed confidence that the FTA will unlock new economic opportunities for both countries. 'The two leaders exchanged views on regional and global issues. UK Foreign Secretary strongly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and expressed support for India's fight against cross-border terrorism. PM Modi underscored the need for a decisive international action against terrorism and those who support it,' the statement said. The statement also noted that PM Modi conveyed his warm greetings to the UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and reiterated the invitation to visit India at the earliest mutual convenience. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the United Kingdom's Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Saturday and shared the details in a post on X. PM Modi appreciated the progress made in the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and also mentioned the recently concluded FTA between the two countries. He appreciated the UK's support to India in the fight against cross-border terrorism. PM Modi wrote on X, 'Pleased to meet UK Foreign Secretary Mr. David Lammy. Appreciate his substantive contribution to the remarkable progress in our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, further strengthened by the recently concluded FTA. Value UK's support for India's fight against cross-border terrorism.' (ANI)
Hindustan Times
07-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
UK expresses support for India's fight against cross-border terrorism
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and external affairs minister S Jaishankar reiterated India's 'zero tolerance' policy for terrorism and the need for decisive international action against terror and those who support it during meetings with British foreign secretary David Lammy on Saturday. Modi said India valued Britain's backing for the fight against cross-border terrorism while Jaishankar said India's partners should understand the 'zero tolerance' policy for terrorism as the country will never accept the perpetrators of terrorism being treated at par with victims. The remarks by the top Indian leadership, made against the backdrop of several countries hyphenating India and Pakistan during last month's military clashes, reiterated to the world community New Delhi's new approach to fighting cross-border terrorism backed by Islamabad. Britain's foreign office had said before Lammy's meeting with Indian interlocutors that he would address how the current peace between India and Pakistan can be supported for regional stability. Modi said in a social media post after meeting Lammy that he values 'UK's support for India's fight against cross-border terrorism'. He also appreciated Lammy's 'substantive contribution to the remarkable progress in our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, further strengthened by the recently concluded FTA'. A statement from the external affairs ministry said Modi had 'underscored the need for a decisive international action against terrorism and those who support it' - an apparent reference to Pakistan. The two leaders discussed regional and global issues and Lammy 'strongly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and expressed support for India's fight against cross-border terrorism', the statement said. Modi also expressed satisfaction at the conclusion of the free trade agreement (FTA) and the double contribution convention and expressed satisfaction at the deepening of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership. He welcomed continued collaboration under the Technology Security Initiative (TSI), especially its potential to 'shape trusted and secure innovation ecosystems'. Modi also reiterated his invitation to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to visit India. Lammy arrived in New Delhi on Saturday morning for meetings to review the bilateral partnership, especially trade and strategic ties, a month after India and the UK finalised the FTA. Lammy had visited Pakistan shortly after New Delhi and Islamabad reached an understanding on halting military actions on May 10. In his opening remarks at the meeting with Lammy, Jaishankar thanked the UK government for the strong condemnation of the 'barbaric terrorist attack' in Pahalgam and its support to India in the fight against terror. 'We practice a policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and expect our partners to understand it, and we will never countenance perpetrators of evil being put at par with its victims,' he said. Lammy responded by referring to the 'horrific terrorist attack' and said Prime Minister Starmer had asked him to convey the 'deep condolences of the UK and a hand of friendship with India and support as we deal with the terrorism threat in a comprehensive manner'. Jaishankar described the finalisation of the FTA and double contribution convention as a milestone that will boost two-way trade and investment and have a 'positive effect on other strategic aspects' of bilateral relations, besides strengthening supply and value chains. He also referred to other significant initiatives that have seen progress, such as the TSI for deeper collaboration in strategic sectors such as AI, semiconductors, telecom, quantum computing, health technology, critical minerals and advanced materials. The TSI, coordinated by the national security advisers of India and the UK, was launched during Lammy's last visit to New Delhi in July 2024. 'We have also launched the Strategic Exports and Technology Cooperation Dialogue, the first meeting of which was held…this week. This will enhance, among others. the TSI's effectiveness in promoting trade in critical and emerging technologies, including the resolution of relevant licencing or regulatory issues,' Jaishankar said. The India-UK infrastructure financial bridge can unlock quality long-term capital flows from Britain to India and contribute to infrastructure development, and there is also good collaboration in the education sector with many UK universities planning to establish campuses in India, he said. Lammy described the finalisation of the FTA as Britain winning a 'trophy' and the beginning of a new era in bilateral ties since it is expected to increase will trade by £25.5 billion. He also conveyed the UK's interest in enhancing cooperation in key sectors such as trade, investment, defence and security, technology, innovation and clean energy. Lammy also met commerce minister Piyush Goyal and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. A readout from Britain's foreign office said bolstering economic and migration ties and delivering growth opportunities for British businesses topped the agenda for Lammy's visit. Lammy also focused on the migration partnership, including 'work on safeguarding citizens and securing borders in both countries'. The readout added, 'Addressing migration remains a top priority for the government - the Foreign Secretary is focused on working internationally with global partners to secure the UK's borders at home.' Lammy's visit would also prepare the grounds for a visit by Starmer to India for the formal signing of the FTA. Both countries are currently involved in the legal scrubbing of the FTA, a process expected to be completed in three months. During 2023-24, India was the UK's second largest source of investments in terms of number of projects for the fifth consecutive year. India was the UK's 11th largest trading partner in 2024, accounting for 2.4% of total British trade, and two-way trade in goods and services was worth nearly $57 billion in 2024. The FTA is expected to increase bilateral trade by $34 billion a year from 2040. Within a decade of the deal being implemented, 85% of British products will become tariff-free in India. Indian tariffs on alcohol will be cut from 150% to 75%, falling to 40% by the 10th year of the deal. India will also cut automotive tariffs from more than 100% to 10%. The UK too has agreed to cut its tariffs and 99% of India's exports to Britain will face no duties.
