UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab was among some of the senior Cabinet ministers to address the India Global Forum this week. Here are some excerpts from his address…
We are working closely together in so many areas, whether it is tackling climate change, responding to the pandemic, or laying the foundations for both economies and countries around the world to bounce back from Covid economically stronger and more sustainably.
Prime Minister Johnson and Prime Minister Modi agreed a gear shift in bilateral relations at a virtual summit in May. India deemed UK a comprehensive strategic partner, the first European nation to be designated as such. Our Prime Ministers signed an Enhanced Trade Partnership that will create £530 million worth of inward investment. We now want to secure a free trade deal by 2030 with the aim of doubling bilateral trade.
We also agreed a landmark new Migration and Mobility Partnership, which will support the two-way flow of people that will benefit us all and strengthen the living bridge, which is such a source of strength to both countries.
We must keep ramping up our ambition levels ahead of the UN climate change talks, which we are hosting in Glasgow later this year.
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We are strengthening our defence relationship and security cooperation so that can cover maritime but also new threats in relation to cybercrime. The UK’s Carrier Strike Group will be visiting India to conduct joint naval and air exercise with their Indian opposite numbers.
We are also expanding the UK-India health partnership for global health security and to improve our resilience against future pandemics.
Our genomics hub and virtual vaccines hub is a brilliant illustration of healthcare collaboration.
All in all, this is a really exciting time for the UK-India relationship. There is so much that we can achieve and do together by working in partnership to deliver that 2030 Roadmap.
I believe that this friendship and this partnership will be a really powerful force for good in the world for many, many years to come.
*Info: India Global Forum