India, UK ink new security initiative

New Delhi: British foreign secretary David Lammy held wide-ranging talks with external affairs minister S. Jaishankar in the national capital on Wednesday. Later in the evening, it was made public that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK PM Keir Starmer are launching a new "Technology Security Initiative (TSI) to elevate the strategic partnership between the two countries to the next level".

New Delhi, in a statement, said the TSI "will bring into sharper focus collaboration in critical and emerging technologies across priority sectors such as "telecoms, critical minerals, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum, biotechnology and advanced materials". The initiative assumes significance, given the increased role played by China globally in this sphere.

New Delhi said the TSI will be "coordinated by the national security advisors (NSAs) of both countries through existing and new dialogues" and that the "NSAs will set the priority areas and identify interdependencies for cooperation on critical and emerging tech that will, in turn, help build meaningful technology value chain partnerships between our two countries".

The progress made on the initiative will be reviewed on a half-yearly basis at the deputy NSA level, New Delhi said, adding that the two nations will "also set up a bilateral mechanism led by India’s ministry of external affairs and the UK government for promotion of trade in critical and emerging technologies, including resolution of relevant licensing or regulatory issues".

"Both countries view this TSI as a platform and a strong signal of intent to build and grow sustainable and tangible partnerships across priority tech sectors," New Delhi said.

On Wednesday, Mr Lammy also called on Mr Modi, who said he "appreciated the priority accorded" by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to "broaden and deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership". Mr Modi said he "remained committed" to elevating bilateral ties and "welcomed the bilateral technology security initiative and the desire to conclude a mutually beneficial FTA".

During his meeting with Mr Jaishankar, Mr Lammy hailed India as the "emerging superpower of the 21st century" and "one of the fastest-growing economies in the world". He also "pushed for a reset of the partnership between the two countries and reiterated the UK’s commitment to securing a free trade agreement (FTA) that will benefit both economies.

Earlier in the day, upon the arrival of Mr Lammy in New Delhi, Britain said that "economic, domestic and global security" is "at the heart of the foreign secretary’s first visit to India as he travels to New Delhi to unlock the full potential of the UK-India partnership".

The British foreign secretary's visit, which will conclude on Thursday morning, is the first major in-person bilateral engagement between the two nations under the new Labour government led by Mr Starmer, who has expressed his desire to further strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between both nations.

On the proposed FTA pact that is yet to be inked, Mr. Lammy said, “Our free trade agreement negotiations are the floor, not the ceiling, of our ambitions to unlock our shared potential and deliver growth, from Bengaluru to Birmingham. We have shared interests in the green transition, new technologies, economic security and global security."

Ahead of the visit, he had said, "I am travelling 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 British high commission, in a statement, said Mr Lammy's visit is to "cement a stronger partnership on technology, climate and growth" and that he will "highlight the importance of a new partnership with India that focuses on economic, domestic and global security".

The statement said Mr 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" and that he will "discuss partnering on Indian-led global initiatives to build clean power access and climate resilience in the Global South and small island states".

It added that Mr Lammy will also "underscore the importance of the Living Bridge between the UK and India that 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".

On Wednesday morning, the British high commission said that the British 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".