Johannesburg: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met with British counterpart Keir Starmer on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in South Africa’s Johannesburg, stating that the current year has brought “new energy” to the India–UK partnership.
“It was wonderful meeting Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Johannesburg. This year has brought new energy to the India–UK partnership and we will keep driving it forward across many domains,” PM Modi posted on X after the meeting.
Last month Starmer, accompanied by the biggest-ever trade delegation from the UK, undertook a two-day visit to India at the invitation of PM Modi. This was his first official visit to India after assuming office during which he also held wide-ranging discussions with Prime Minister Modi in Mumbai with talks focused on boosting ties.
Starmer’s visit to India came after PM Modi travelled to the UK in July. During his visit, PM Modi met Starmer at the UK Prime Minister’s country residence at Chequers in Buckinghamshire where the two leaders held a one-on-one meeting as well as delegation-level talks.
Both leaders had welcomed the signing of the historic India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) which had raised the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to a new level, while significantly enhancing bilateral trade, investment, economic collaborations and job creation in both economies.
Earlier this month, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri travelled to London on his first bilateral visit as India and the United Kingdom continued to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and advance cooperation across key sectors.
On October 31, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar emphasised that the relations between the two nations have evolved from a complicated historical association to a dynamic and forward-looking partnership with the past one year being an “exceptional year” for the “modern relationship” shared by the two nations.
EAM Jaishankar made the remarks during an event hosted by the British High Commission in India on King Charles’ birthday in New Delhi.
“I think over the years, our ties have evolved from a complicated historical association to a dynamic and forward-looking partnership. This past year has truly been an exceptional year for our modern relationship. Earlier this month as you heard from the High Commissioner, we welcomed Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Mumbai, accompanied by the largest ever trade delegation from the UK. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself visited the UK three months earlier, I had the privilege of travelling with him at that time, when the historic Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement was signed. During that visit, we also adopted Vision 2035 – to guide our ties across five pillars, those of: Growth, Technology and Innovation, of Defence and Security, of Climate and Clean Energy and Education. We also adopted a Defence Industrial Roadmap for the first time,” EAM Jaishankar stated in his remarks during the UK National Day celebrations.
(IANS)
