High Commission of India

London

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India-UK historical ties, over the years have transformed into a robust, multi-faceted, mutually beneficial relationship. During the India-UK Summit in virtual mode on 4 May 2021, Prime Minister Modi and the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson agreed to a new and transformational India-UK 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership' and an ambitious India-UK Roadmap 2030 to steer cooperation for the next ten years.

In the general elections held in the UK on 4th July 2024, the Labour Party won 412 out of 650 seats and formed government for the first time since 2010 with Sir Keir Starmer as the Prime Minister. PM Modi congratulated PM Starmer in a telephone conversation 6^th July and invited him for an early visit to India. In its election manifesto, the Labour Party has stated that it will seek a new strategic partnership with India including a Free Trade Agreement and deepening of relations in security, education, technology and climate change. Both PMs had bilateral meeting on the sidelines of G20 Leaders’ Summit in Brazil on 18 November 2024.

 

High-Level Visits/Engagements

• On 6 May 2025, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a phone call to celebrate the conclusion of the landmark UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), described as the biggest trade deal the UK has secured since leaving the EU and the most ambitious India has ever agreed. The leaders highlighted the deal’s potential to add billions to the UK economy, boost wages, and deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. They also discussed recent security concerns, with PM Starmer expressing condolences over the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir. Prime Minister Modi invited PM Starmer to visit India, an invitation the UK leader welcomed and looked forward to accepting soon.

• On 25 April 2025, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to express horror and strong condemnation of the devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 innocent people. Starmer began by saying he was horrified by the devastating terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, which saw the tragic loss of 26 innocent lives. He expressed his deep condolences on behalf of the British people to all those affected, their loved ones and the people of India. The leaders agreed to stay in touch.

• At the G20 Summit in Brazil on November 19, 2024, the Prime Minister of the UK, Sir Keir Starmer met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Both leaders emphasized their commitment to advancing the UK-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, focusing on enhancing cooperation in trade, investment, security, defense, technology, climate, health, and education. PM Starmer welcomed India’s decision to open two new Consulates General in Belfast and Manchester. Prime Minister Modi earlier met the then UK Prime Minister Sunak on the sidelines of G7 Summit in Apulia, Italy on 14 June 2024.

• On July 6, 2024, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prime Minister Modi held a phone call to discuss bilateral relations. The leaders congratulated each other on their recent election victories and expressed their commitment to strengthening UK-India ties. They discussed cooperation in defence, technology, and climate change, as well as the ongoing Free Trade Agreement negotiations. Both leaders acknowledged the importance of the "living bridge" between their nations and the 2030 roadmap for bilateral relations. Starmer praised Modi's leadership on global challenges, and they agreed to meet in person soon, marking a positive continuation of UK-India relations under the new British government.

• Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi at the G20 Summit hosted by India on 08-10 September 2023. They reviewed the progress on various aspects of India-UK relations. PM Modi reiterated his invitation to PM Sunak for a separate visit at the earliest convenience.

• Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, at the G7 Summit in Japan on 22 May 2023. They discussed progress on a UK-India Free Trade Agreement. The leaders agreed that their teams would continue to work at pace to finalise an ambitious and mutually beneficial deal. The leaders discussed the wider objectives of the G7 Summit and the Prime Minister committed his strong support for India’s G20 Presidency, which comes at a crucial time for global security and prosperity.

• Hon’ble Vice President of India visited London on 05-06th May 2023 to attend the Coronation Ceremony of H.M. King Charles III. He interacted with King Charles III, President of Israel, First Lady of the USA, President of Italy, President of Brazil, during reception at Buckingham Palace. Hon'ble Vice President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar also addressed the members of the Indian community in United Kingdom. He also interacted with Indian origin MPs of the UK, and Indian students.

• Prime Minister Modi met UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Bali on the side-lines of G20 Summit on 16 November 2022 and carried out discussions to boost trade between the two countries. This was the first in-person meeting between the two, since Mr. Sunak took over as the UK Prime Minister. The Young Professionals Scheme was announced after the meeting.

• On 17-19 September 2022, President Smt. Droupadi Murmu visited London to attend the State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. President paid her respects to the Queen lying in state at Westminster Hall and signed the condolence book at Lancaster House on 18 September 2022. President met King Charles III at a reception held at the Buckingham Palace on the same day.

• On 21-22 April 2022, the then UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson paid an official visit to India. Important components were a visit to Sabarmati Ashram, followed by visits to JCB plant at Halol, Gift City and Gujarat Bio-Technology University. In Delhi, he held discussions with PM Modi, where both the leaders reviewed the progress made on Roadmap 2030. UK’s decision to offer ‘Open General Export Licence’ to Indian companies was announced. It was agreed to target an early conclusion of FTA. MoUs on Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership and Global Innovation Partnership were concluded. A joint statement on India-UK Cyber Cooperation was also issued.

• Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visited UK from 31 October to 2 November 2021 to attend COP26 World Leaders Summit in Glasgow. He had a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Mr. Boris Johnson, on 1 November 2021 on the side-lines of COP26 Summit. The two Prime Ministers reviewed the implementation of the Roadmap 2030. On 2 November 2021, Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Johnson jointlv launched the ambitious 'One Sun, One World, One Grid' (OSOWOG) programme and the Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS). The OSOWOG is a part of the International Solar Alliance (ISA); and the IRIS is a part of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).

 

Minister Level Visits/Engagements

Visits from India to the UK

• Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Indian Minister of Law and Justice, visited the UK from 3 to 7 June 2025, delivering the keynote address at the Indian Council of Arbitration’s 3rd International Conference on ‘Arbitrating Indo-UK Commercial Disputes’ in London on 5 June. The event, part of London International Disputes Week 2025, featured top legal experts and focused on enhancing arbitration and legal cooperation under the new India-UK Free Trade Agreement. During his visit, Shri Meghwal also participated in a tree-planting ceremony for World Environment Day and engaged with the Jain community in London.

• The all-party Indian delegation, led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, visited the UK from 31 May to 3 June 2025 to express India’s firm stance against terrorism and highlight Pakistan’s alleged role in cross-border attacks. In London, they paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar, addressed the Indian diaspora at India House, and held meetings with Speaker House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Leader of the House of Commons Lucy Powell, UK Minister Catherine West and Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel to discuss security cooperation and India’s anti-terror initiatives, including Operation Sindoor.

• Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal visited London from 28-29 April and 02-03 May 2025, to advance the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations and strengthen economic ties. He held meetings with UK officials including UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves and Foreign Secretary David Lammy. He also addressed a joint India-UK business reception at Lancaster House and participated in a business roundtable with industry leaders from both countries.

• Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visited the UK from 08-10 April 2025 to strengthen economic and financial ties, co-chairing the 13th India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue with UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves. The visit focused on advancing trade and investment, including progress toward a Free Trade Agreement and Bilateral Investment Treaty, and featured engagements with UK business leaders on fintech, insurance, pensions, and climate finance. Sitharaman also met UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, highlighting the strategic partnership and mutual commitment to deepening cooperation between the two countries.

• Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, led a delegation to the UK from March 23 to March 28, 2025. The visit included participation in business events organized by the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) in association with the UK India Business Council (UKIBC) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and; academic engagements at the University of Oxford. The visit also focused on attracting investments to West Bengal and enhancing economic ties with the UK.

• Dr. S. Jaishankar, India's External Affairs Minister, conducted a significant visit to the UK from March 3-9, 2025. He engaged in high-level meetings with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to advance discussions on the India-UK Free Trade Agreement and deepen strategic partnerships. During his visit, he inaugurated new Indian consulates in Belfast and Manchester, symbolizing expanded diplomatic presence. He also participated in cultural and educational events, including interactions with Chevening Scholars and Indian students. He also met Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, Emma Little-Pengelly and Junior Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive, Aisling Reilly in Belfast on 07 March 2025.

• Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla visited the UK from January 7 to 11, 2025, at the invitation of Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons. He visited the Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Museum and Gandhi's statue in London and paid floral tributes there. He engaged with the Indian diaspora and held meetings with Lord Speaker Hoyle and McFall of Alcluith, Lord Speaker of the House of Lords in London. He visited Scotland and met Alison Johnstone MSP, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, and John Swinney MSP, First Minister of Scotland and interacted with cross-party Members of the Scottish Parliament. On January 10, He chaired the meeting of the Standing Committee of Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) in Guernsey.

• High Level delegation led by Hon’ble Chief Minister of Madya Pradesh visited London from 24-27 November 2024.

• A high-level delegation led by Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha visited the UK from November 3-8, 2024, to attend the World Travel Market, London and met stakeholders in business and tourism.

• A delegation led by Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism visited UK from 03rd - 07th November 2024 to participate in World Travel Market (WTM) 2024 event in London.

• High level delegation led by Hon’ble Chief Minister of Rajasthan visited London from 16-18 October 2024.

• A delegation led by Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Hon’ble Minister of State for Law and Justice visited UK from 30th September to 03rd October 2024 to attend the Opening of Legal Year 2024 and for meetings of India-UK Legal Services Committee and Joint Consultative Committee meeting.

• Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the United Kingdom from January 8-10, 2024 and held bilateral talks with his UK counterpart, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, to discuss a range of defence, security and industrial cooperation issues. He also met with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary David Cameron, interacted with CEOs and industry leaders of the UK defence industry, and met with the Indian community.

• Dr. S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister of India visited the UK from 11-15th November 2023 and had bilateral meetings with UK PM Mr. Rishi Sunak, Former UK PM Mr. Tony Blair, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameroon, UK Defence Secretary Mr. Grant Shapps, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, UK NSA Tim Barrow, Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy and UK Leader of Opposition Mr. Keir Starmer.

• Minister of State for MEITY, Shri Rajeev Chandrashekhar visited UK from 1-2 November 2023 and attended the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit hosted by the UK. He also had meetings with Michelle Donelan, UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and Viscount Camrose, Minister of State for AI and Intellectual Property during the AI Summit.

• Dr. D Y Chandrachud, Chief Justice of India visited the UK from 27 September to 3 October 2023 to participate in the opening of the Legal Year.

• Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Textiles and Leader of the Rajya Sabha visited UK from 10-13 July 2023 to review progress of the FTA in more detail. During the visit, the Hon’ble Minister had meetings with Ms. Kemi Badenoch, UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade and Mr. Douglas McNeill, Chief Economic Adviser to Prime Minister of UK.

• A delegation led by Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Hon’ble Union Minister of Law and Justice (Independent Charge), Government of India visited UK on 05th June 2023. Hon’ble Minister attended the 2nd ‘Arbitrating Indo - UK Commercial Disputes conference’ held in London and spoke about reforms & initiatives by GoI in the legal sector and arbitration mechanisms. Hon’ble Minister had a meeting with Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, UK and discussed India UK cooperation in the field of law and justice.

• Shri Jitendra Singh, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences visited UK from 25 April to 01 May 2023. Hon’ble Minister held a series of meetings with his counterpart Ministers in the UK and as well as Indian diaspora, StartUps and academicians. Hon’ble Minister co-chaired the India-UK Science & Innovation Council with British Minister for Science, Innovation &Technology and exchanged MoU for wider cooperation between two countries, particularly in quantum Technology, clean energy. India UK Space Parks Partnership was also announced.

• A delegation led by Shri Suman Kumar Beri, Hon’ble Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog visited 06-10th February 2023 to address the opening session of the Investors Showcase Event on 09th February 2023 and also to attend lectures and briefings on India's economic growth at academic institutions in London, UK.

 

Visits from UK to India

• UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy visited India on June 7-8, 2025, to deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership following the recent India-UK Free Trade Agreement.

• UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy visited India from 1 May to 3 May 2025, attending the WAVES Summit in Mumbai on 1 May and signing a bilateral Cultural Cooperation Agreement (aimed at fostering collaboration between flagship cultural institutions like the British Library and the Science Museum and their Indian counterparts) the visit that included Mumbai and New Delhi. During this visit, she engaged in discussions on cultural ties, creative industries, and cooperation between UK and Indian institutions.

• Mr. Jonathan Powell, National Security Advisor, United Kingdom visited India from 17-19 March 2025 for the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi. During the visit, he met Dr. S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India.

• Mr. Jonathan Munro Black, the Deputy National Security Adviser and Prime Minister’s G7 & G20 Sherpa of the United Kingdom, visited Delhi from March 17 to 19, 2025. During his visit, he attended the Raisina Dialogue and held meetings to discuss economic priorities.

• Maj Gen Sarah Johansen, Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence of the UK, visited India on March 17, 2025. During her visit, she met with Lt. General DS Rana, Director General of the Defence Intelligence Agency, to discuss global security issues and potential enhancements to intelligence cooperation between India and the UK.

• UK Defence Minister of State Lord Vernon Coaker visited India on 10 February 2025 and inaugurated the UK-India Defence Partnership Pavilion at Aero India 2025, marking the launch of Defence Partnership–India (DP-I) and a dedicated programme office within the UK Ministry of Defence to enhance bilateral collaboration. Key agreements included a contract between Thales UK and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for Laser Beam Riding MANPADs (LBRM), with High Velocity Missiles (STARStreak) and launchers to be delivered in 2025, alongside plans to co-produce Lightweight Multirole Missiles. Additionally, the UK and India signed a Statement of Intent to develop an Integrated Full Electric Propulsion system for India’s next-generation Landing Platform Dock fleet. These initiatives align with India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat goals, fostering innovation, economic growth, and mutual security.

• The Fourth UK-India Energy Dialogue on February 10, 2025, co-chaired by UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and India's Minister of Power Manohar Lal Khattar, resulted in strengthened collaboration on clean energy. Key outcomes included launching Phase-2 of the ASPIRE program, creating a UK-India Offshore Wind Taskforce, continuing the UKPACT Power Sector Reforms program, and proposing a UK-India electricity regulatory taskforce. Both nations committed to balancing energy transition with economic growth, focusing on affordable clean energy access and emerging technologies like energy storage and green data centers.

• UK-India trade talks resumed on February 24, 2025, in New Delhi, following discussions between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Sir Keir Starmer at the November 2024 G20 Summit. UK Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds met with India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal to relaunch negotiations for a free trade agreement. The deal aims to boost economic growth by increasing UK businesses' access to India's rapidly expanding economy, projected to become the world's third-largest by 2028. Both countries agreed to pursue a balanced, mutually beneficial agreement that builds on their complementary economic strengths and unlocks opportunities for businesses and consumers. The leaders directed negotiators to resolve outstanding issues to ensure a fair and equitable trade deal, emphasizing the potential to strengthen the already deep ties between the two nations.

• UK Minister for Indo-Pacific, Catherine West, reaffirmed the UK's commitment to deepening its partnership with India during her two-day visit from 18-19 November 2024. Highlighting India as a "vital partner" and one of the fastest-growing economies, West emphasized the importance of fostering cooperation across various sectors, including climate, technology, health, and education. She also reiterated the UK's intention to negotiate a mutually beneficial free trade agreement and a bilateral investment treaty.

• Ms Harriet Mathews, the UK’s Chief Negotiator visited India on 16 September 2024 for bilateral meetings (regarding the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT)). Mr Matthew Collins, Deputy National Security Adviser of the UK visited India from 17-19 September 2024 for bilateral meetings.

• During his visit to India on July 24-25, 2024, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy engaged in significant discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. A highlight of the meetings was the launch of the UK-India Technology Security Initiative, which aims to strengthen collaboration on technology security and innovation between the two nations. The leaders also emphasized the urgency of finalizing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to enhance bilateral trade and investment. In addition to economic matters, they addressed pressing global issues, including climate change and economic security, while discussing the implications of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Lammy raised concerns about human rights issues in India, particularly regarding the treatment of British nationals and long-pending extradition cases.

• Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, the then UK Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, Commonwealth, and the United Nations, visited India on 21-24 Feb 2024 at the invitation of the External Affairs Minister to participate in the Raisina Dialogue. His visit to India in February 2024 focused on strengthening the UK-India strategic partnership, particularly in the areas of defense, trade, and regional security in the Indo-Pacific.

• Ms. Angela Rayner, the UK Shadow Deputy Prime Minister, visited India from 18-25 February 2024 to participate in the Raisina Dialogue 2024. During this event in New Delhi, she had a meeting with the External Affairs Minister of India, Dr. S. Jaishankar, emphasizing the importance of international dialogue and cooperation. The purpose of the visit was to "strengthen" the relationship between the Labour Party and the Indian diaspora in the UK.

• David Lammy, the Shadow Foreign Secretary of the UK Labour Party, visited India from 05-07 February 2024 along with Jonathan Reynolds, the Shadow Business and Trade secretary to discuss UK-India trade talks and strengthen bilateral relations. They met with senior Indian politicians, including External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, to enhance cooperation. The visit aimed to bolster the UK-India strategic partnership and engage with the Indian diaspora through initiatives like the Labour Indians group.

• Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk, Secretary of State for Justice visited India to participate in International Lawyers’ Conference 2023 in New Delhi on 24th September 2023. He called on Prime Minister and held meeting with his counterpart.

• Chancellor of Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt traveled to India for the 12th Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) on 11 September 2023 and had meetings with his counterpart, India’s Finance Minister.

• The Rt Hon Graham Stuart MP, Minister of State (Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero) visited India and participated in G20 Climate and Environment Ministerial meeting on 04th September 2023.

• UK's Secretary of State for International Trade, Ms. Kemi Badenoch visited India on 24 August 2023 for G20 Trade Ministers’ meeting and participate in the ongoing FTA negotiations.

• Lord Parkinson, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State of Department for Culture, Media and Sport visited India and participated in G20 Culture Ministers' Meeting on 24th August 2023. He also met Ms. Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture of India and discussed cultural cooperation between our two countries and ways to further strengthen people-to-people connect.

• Tom Tugendhat MP, the then UK Minister of State (Minister for Security) visited India and met Shri S. Jaishankar, EAM on 10th August 2023.

• UK Ministers , Rt Hon Thérèse Coffey MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Rt Hon Graham Stuart MP, Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero visited India and participated in G20 Environment and Climate meetings in Chennai on 28th July 2023. A series of great projects with the Government of Tamil Nadu were also launched during the visits.

• The Rt Hon Grant Shapps, UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero visited India and participated in the G20 Energy Transitions Ministerial in Goa, India on 22 July 2023.

• The Rt Hon Mel Stride, UK Secretary of State for Work and Pensions visited India and participated in the G20 Labour & Employment Meeting in Indore on 20-21 July 2023.

• George Freeman MP, UK Minister of State for Science, Innovation and Technology visited India from 4-7th July 2023 and attended G20 Research Ministers’ meeting in Mumbai.

• The Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP, UK Minister of State for Schools visited India from 20-23 June 2023 to attend the G20 4th Education Working Group meeting (EdWG) in Pune. He met Dr. Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education and Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Govt on the sidelines of 4th EdWG and had productive discussions on innovation and scientific research and other areas which will strengthen the education partnership between India and the UK.

• Sir John Whittingdale, UK Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport) visited India on 21-22 June 2023 to attend G20 Tourism Ministerial meeting in Goa.

• The Rt Hon Thérèse Coffey MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 16-17th June 2023. She attended the G20 Agriculture Ministers Meeting in Hyderabad and had bilateral meetings with Hon'ble Minister for A&FW, Govt of India.

• The Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP, Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) visited India from 11-12th June 2023 to attend the G20 Development Ministerial Meeting in Varanasi and to boost UK-India cooperation on development including through climate and tech partnerships. He also had meetings with EAM.

• Lord (Tariq) Ahmad, Minister of State for the Middle East, South Asia, UN, Govt of the UK visited India from 27 to 30 May 2023. During the visit, Ahmad traveled to Jodhpur, Delhi, and Hyderabad, and focused on strengthening UK-India collaboration on science, technology, and innovation. He also met with EAM and discussed the importance of strengthening of two countries long-standing bilateral relationship and progressing the FTA.

• APPG-India delegation co-led by Baroness Sandip Verma & Lord Karan Bilimoria visited India from 09-15 April 2023. The delegation visited India to discuss trade, research ties in India. The delegation visited Mumbai, Pune, Delhi and Ahmedabad. They met with Foreign Secretary, Commerce Secretary, Chief Minister of Gujarat, Minister of Commerce & Industry, Minister of Railways & IT and Hon’ble Vice President of India.

• Sir Matthew Rycroft, Permanent Secretary at the Home Office visited India from 12-14 April 2023. He co-chaired 5th India-UK Home Affairs Dialogue (HAD) in New Delhi on 12 April 2023 with Union Home Secretary, Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla. During the meeting both sides reviewed the ongoing cooperation and identified further steps that can be taken to explore opportunities and synergies in advancing cooperation in counter-terrorism, cyber security & global supply chains, drug trafficking, migration, extradition, anti-India activities in UK including Pro-Khalistan Extremism among other issues.

• The Rt Hon James Cleverly MP, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs visited India from 01-03 March 2023. He attended G20 Foreign Ministers meeting hosted by India and launched the new UK-India Young Professional Scheme and announced the creation of UK's first Tech Envoy to the Indo-Pacific region. He had bilateral meetings with EAM to discuss progress on the UK-India 2030 Roadmap, which aims to bolster the 2 countries’ ties in defence and security, trade and investment.

• Mr Alex Chalk KC MP, Minister of State (Minister for Defence Production) represented Secretary of State for Defence, UK in Aero India-23 which was held from 13-17 Feb 23 at Air Force Station Yelahanka, Bangalore and attended meeting with Indian Govt dignitaries.

• The Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt (Conservative MP), the Chancellor of the Exchequer, alongside Andrew Bailey, the Governor of the Bank of England, visited India from 23-25th February 2023 and attended a meeting of G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors on Thursday 23 February. The Chancellor also attended the first G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting under the Indian Presidency. The Chancellor also had meetings with Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Both sides agreed to make further progress on the UK-India Free Trade Agreement and deepen bilateral economic, financial ties and to make swift progress on setting up the next UK-India Economic and Financial Dialogue.

 

Others engagements

• On November 25, 2024, EAM S. Jaishankar met with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy in Rome during a three-day visit. They discussed enhancing the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, focusing on cooperation in technology, green energy, trade, and regional developments in the Indo-Pacific and West Asia. Jaishankar emphasized the steady momentum in their partnership and the importance of collaboration on global challenges.

• On September 25, 2024, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. During their meeting, they carried forward discussions on strengthening the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and also exchanged views on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

• At the G7 Trade Ministers' meeting in Italy on July 16-17, 2024, Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Mr. Piyush Goyal and UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds discussed advancing the ongoing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, which began in January 2022. They focused on key issues such as market access for Indian professionals and UK goods, underscoring the importance of deepening bilateral economic relations between India and the UK. The meeting also addressed broader challenges in the multilateral trading system and global supply chains.

• EAM met British Foreign Secretary, Mr. James Cleverly on 13th July 2023 in Jakarta, Indonesia on the sidelines of the 13th EAS Foreign Ministers Meeting and discussed about the agenda of the ARF, including regional and global issues, assessed the progress in Inda-UK bilateral exchanges and brought up concerns pertaining to the security of our diplomats.

 

Economic Cooperation

India and the UK have strong economic relations which have resulted in steady increase in bilateral trade and investment. Presence of strong Indian community has played an important role promoting bilateral economic relations. Major Indian corporates are present in the UK. Similarly the UK has remained keen on exploring potential of Indian market. Pursuant to the Joint Declaration “India-UK towards a new and dynamic partnership” between two Prime Ministers in September 2004, two formal institutional mechanisms viz. India -UK Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) and India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) were launched to steer the bilateral cooperation on trade, investments and finance.

 

Trade and Investments

India-UK bilateral trade stood at £39.7 billion during FY 2023-24. Imports were £16.6 billion exports were £23.1 billion. There are 971 Indian companies operating in the UK, with combined revenues of almost £68 billion. UK is the 6th largest inward investor in India and has invested US$ 35.28 billion in FDI inflows between April 2000 – September 2024. There are 667 British companies in India with a combined turnover of approximately INR 5082 billion. Total outward FDI to UK is $19 billion till March 2024. Indian companies in UK are employing over 1.7 lakh people in UK and the UK companies in India are employing over 5 lakh people.

 

Defence Cooperation

The Defence Engagement between India and the UK covers a broad spectrum of activities including joint military exercises, port calls, defence technological cooperation, promoting Make in India, subject matter expert exchanges for exchange of best practises (SMEEs), defence education and defence procurement.

India and the UK engage in regular bilateral and multilateral military exercises. Details of flagship exercises undertaken in 2023 are as follows: (i) Exercise Konkan 2023: The Indian Navy-Royal Navy annual bilateral maritime exercise Konkan 2023 edition was held in March 2023 in the Arabian Sea off the West Coast of India. INS Trishul and HMS Lancaster participated in the exercise and engaged in gun shoots, anti-air exercises, ASW tracking, helicopter flying and manoeuvres. The Indian Navy has proposed the next edition of Konkan to be held off Portsmouth in the North Atlantic in August 2024. (ii) Exercise Cobra Warrior 2023: IAF participated in a Multi-National Air Exercise Cobra Warrior at Royal Air Force Waddington, UK in Mar 2023. (iii) Exercise Ajeya Warrior 2023: Indian Army (6 Bihar) took part in 7^th Edition of Ex Ajeya Warrior (India-UK Biennial Exercise) conducted at Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA), Salisbury, UK from 27 Apr 2023 to 11 May 2023.

 

S&T, Research and Innovation

India-UK Science and Innovation Council (SIC) which is held once every two years is chaired by the Ministers on both side to develop bilateral relationship in science, technology and innovation. In the past few years, the UK has emerged as as India’s second largest international research and innovation partner with joint research programme to the tune of £300-400 million.

Dr. Jitendra Singh, MoS for S&T and Earth Sciences visited UK for SIC in April 2023 and signed MoU for wider cooperation between the two countries, especially in quantum technology, clean energy, pandemic preparedness, AI and machine learning. It was decided to establish a new India-UK Net Zero Innovation Virtual Centre focusing on industrial decarbonisation. It is expected to provide a platform to bring stakeholders together to work on focus areas including use of green hydrogen as a renewable energy source. At the SIC, India was named as a partner country for the UK’s International Science Partnership Fund, carrying forward the India-UK science partnership built thorough Newton-Bhabha fund.

Recognizing the increasing role of technology in national security and economic development, the Prime Ministers of India and the United Kingdom recently launched 'Technology Security Initiative' to elevate the strategic partnership between the two countries to the next level. The TSI builds upon the ambitious bilateral cooperation agenda set out in the India-UK Roadmap 2030, and will bring into sharper focus collaboration in critical and emerging technologies (CET) across priority sectors such as telecoms, critical minerals, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum, health/bio technology, advanced materials and semiconductors. It will reinforce existing collaborative efforts in various technologies, broaden the mandates of existing mechanism, and establish new mechanisms for cooperation.

 

Health

India-UK bilateral cooperation in mitigating the effects of COVID-19 Pandemic was significant. The joint research and development of the COVID-19 vaccine, under a licensing agreement between UK-based AstraZeneca and Serum Institute of India, was an unprecedented example of India-UK cooperation in addressing global issues of concern and is bound to lay a solid foundation for our close bilateral partnership across varied sectors.

“India-UK Framework agreement for collaboration on health care workforce” was signed in July 2022 in New Delhi to support for recruitment and training of Nurses, Allied Health Professionals, and other categories of healthcare professionals identified by both the Participants. As per Government of UK Statistics of June 2023, out of 1.51 million NHS staff, 60,533 are from India, second only to British/UK. 18% (25,634) of doctors in the NHS are Asian out of which 10,865 are Indians. 16% of nurses (60,336) working in the NHS are Asian out of which 95% are either Indians or Filipinos. There were a total of 31,992 Indian nurses in the NHS second only to British/UK. There were a total of 11,499 clinical support staff in the NHS second only to British/UK.

 

Education

Education cooperation is an important pillar of India-UK Bilateral relationship as envisaged under India-UK Roadmap 2030, which was released in May 2021 during Prime Ministerial level virtual Summit. Since 2015-16, number of first year enrolment of Indian students in the UK Universities have been increasing. Estimate based the number of new student visas is that the number of Indian students in the UK probably increased to around 185,000 in 2022-23. The number of new student visas issued to Indian citizens increased from 80,635 in 2021 to 139,539 in 2022 (excluding dependants).

India and the UK signed mutual recognition of academic qualifications Memorandum of Understanding on 21 July 2022, giving a fillip to cooperation in the education sector between the two countries. In July 2024, Indian Council for Cultural Relations signed a MoU with University of Southampton for establishment of ICCR Chair of Indian Studies at the University. In August 2024, the Ministry of Education, Govt of India issued a Letter of Intent to the University of Southampton to establish its campus in India under the new National Education Policy.

 

People-to-people exchanges

India and UK signed the Migration and Mobility Partnership (MMP) Agreement on 4 May 2021 with the intention to address swifter movement of working professionals between the two countries - an important element of India-UK economic partnership.

On 16 November 2022, PM Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the Young Professional Scheme on the side-lines of G20 Bali Summit. Under the scheme, 3000 visas will be provided every year to graduates between the age of 18-30 to get 2-year visa to live and work in each other’s country.

 

Indian Diaspora in UK

The UK has a large Indian diaspora of 1.864 million as per 2021 Census. It forms about 2.6% of the total population of UK, which is estimated at 68 million (in 2022). As per the census, there are 3,69,000 persons holding Indian passport. The energy and ambition of Indian diaspora is reflected in high rates of employment and professional qualifications. The Indian diaspora has made valuable contributions in the areas of academia, literature, arts, medicines, science, sports, industry, business, and politics.

As per the report ‘India in the UK: The diaspora effect’ prepared by Grant Thornton and FICCI in March 2022, there are over 65,000 companies owned by Indian diaspora. The report researched 654 companies with turnover of more than £100,000 per year. Their combined revenue is £36.84 billion, they paid over £1 billion in corporate tax, invested over £2 billion through capital expenditure, and created over 174,000 jobs.

 

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As on June 2025