In a speech during a Diwali reception in the UK in 2023, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar referred to the need to ‘reframe’ the India-UK relationship in order to ‘prepare a partnership for a contemporary era.’ This called for exploring ‘new convergences’ and fulfilling ‘unrealised potential’ in the bilateral relationship. Jaishankar’s comments alluded to the relationship resting on the laurels of longstanding bonds of a common language and legal system and the ‘living bridge’ of diaspora linkages while progress remained limited in other areas, such as technology, defence, education and the energy transition. In doing so, the UK had fallen down the list of priority countries for New Delhi.
In this context, Dr Jaishankar’s visit to the UK last week can be seen as an attempt to foster these ‘new convergences.’ Following elections in both countries last year, there has been renewed momentum in the bilateral relationship. The Labour government of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer signalled a reprioritisation of relations with New Delhi with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy visiting India within his first month in office. The establishment of an India-UK Technology Security Initiative (TSI) and Southampton University establishing a campus in India –the first UK university to do so – shows efforts to develop a more multi-dimensional relationship. Even the announcement that the UK was handing back sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius has implications for India as the dominant resident Indian Ocean power, as reflected in this week’s visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Mauritius. Undergirding this is a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership that builds on the earlier 2030 roadmap that was unveiled under the previous Conservative government. Jaishankar’s four-day visit also entailed the opening of two new Indian consulates in Belfast and Manchester (supplementing existing consulates in Birmingham and Edinburgh, as well as the embassy in London), which will help to strengthen people-to-people contact between both countries.
‘Nuclear deal’ moment
The crowning achievement of the bilateral relationship is the push towards concluding a bilateral free trade agreement. Negotiations resumed in February after stalling in 2024 as both countries went into election mode. Consensus has reportedly been reached on most of the 26 chapters with some outstanding issues moved outside the FTA negotiations, such as questions over visa and mobility rules for skilled Indian professionals and a separate social security treaty to address UK National Insurance contributions made by Indian workers on intra-company transfers.
