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UK Foreign Secretary Meets PM Modi, Vows To ‘Celebrate Unique Living Bridge Through FTA'
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British Foreign Secretary is on a two-day visit to New Delhi beginning Saturday to review bilateral ties in areas of trade as well as defence and security.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Saturday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asserted to work together to deepen partnership and deliver growth and security through recently announced India-UK free Trade Agreement (FTA).
'Thank you Prime Minister @narendramodi for your warm welcome to India. Building on the free trade agreement between our great countries, we will continue working together to deepen our partnership, celebrate our unique living bridge, and deliver growth and security," he said in a post on X.
Thank you Prime Minister @narendramodi for your warm welcome to India. Building on the free trade agreement between our great countries, we will continue working together to deepen our partnership, celebrate our unique living bridge, and deliver growth and security. — David Lammy (@DavidLammy) June 7, 2025
Earlier today, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar held a meeting with his UK counterpart and thanked the British government for its strong condemnation of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and for expressing solidarity with India in the fight against terrorism.
Speaking at delegation-level talks, Jaishankar said India practised a policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and expected partners to understand it. 'We will never countenance perpetrators of evil being put at par with their victims," he said.
Jaishankar also addressed the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), calling it a 'milestone", which will propel two-way trade between the countries and have a positive effect on other strategic aspects of bilateral ties.
'It will also contribute to the strengthening of supply and value chains," he said, while also highlighting other avenues of India-UK cooperation.
Lammy held wide-ranging talks with Jaishankar, and met PM Modi.
The British foreign secretary will also meet Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.
Lammy's visit to New Delhi comes over a month after the two countries finalised an ambitious free trade agreement (FTA). It is learnt that his visit is also expected to focus on preparing the ground for a possible trip to New Delhi by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
India-UK FTA
The historic announcement regarding the conclusion of talks on the free trade agreement (FTA) was made by PM Modi and his British counterpart Keir Starmer in May. India and the UK sealed the deal along with a double contribution convention. Modi said the 'historic milestone" will catalyse trade, investment, growth and job creation in both economies.
An Indian government press release said that India stands to gain from the trade pact as the UK agreed to scrap tariffs on nearly 99% of tariff lines, essentially covering all trade by value.
The agreement is also set to give a big push to India's manufacturing, the press release said, with labour and tech-heavy sectors expected to see an uptick.
Key exports like textiles, leather, marine products, gems and jewellery, footwear, toys, sports goods, auto parts, and organic chemicals will now have an edge in the UK market, levelling the field against global competition.
Bilateral trade between India and the United Kingdom rose to USD 21.34 billion in 2023-24, up from USD 20.36 billion the previous year. Currently, goods imported from India into the UK attract an average tariff of 4.2 per cent.
(With input from agencies)
