India vital partner, UK committed to foster deeper collab: British minister

The UK is committed to foster deeper cooperation with India as it is a "vital" partner and one of the fastest growing economies in the world, British Minister for Indo-Pacific Catherine West said on Monday as she embarked on a two-day visit to the country.

West will continue to unlock the full potential of the UK-India partnership and drive forward greater growth for both countries building upon the ambitions set out by Foreign Secretary David Lammy during his visit to New Delhi in July, a British government readout said.

She will also reiterate that the UK remains committed to negotiating a mutually beneficial free trade agreement and bilateral investment treaty, it added.

"I am delighted to be visiting India for the first time as Minister for the Indo-Pacific," West said.

"As one of the fastest growing economies in the world, India is a vital partner," she said.

Minister West's visit will include a meeting at the Ministry of External Affairs where she will reinforce the UK's commitment to a stronger partnership and the importance of the enduring links between people of the two nations, the readout noted.

The two sides are expected to review the overall situation in the Indo-Pacific and explore ways to bolster cooperation in the region during West's visit to India.

During an education roundtable at the British Council, the Minister will learn more about the unique "living bridge" between the UK and India, representing the 1.7 million people in the UK with Indian heritage and connecting our two countries, it said.

The British minister is also scheduled to visit the Jama Masjid where she will learn about its history and architecture, it said.

West's visit to New Delhi comes nearly four months after India and the UK firmed up a mega technology security initiative that sets out a bold new approach for collaboration in a range of "priority" sectors including telecom, critical minerals, semiconductors and artificial intelligence. The initiative was firmed up during Lammy's trip in July.

In 2021, India and the UK adopted the 10-year roadmap to expand ties in the key areas of trade and economy, defence and security, climate change and people-to-people connections among others.

West's visit to India follows a two-day trip to Bangladesh, where she reaffirmed UK support for the interim government's work to build a more prosperous and democratic future for the country.