UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy unveiled a new UK-India Technology Security Initiative this week during his first visit to India, where he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior leaders as part of the Labour government’s reset with the Global South.
The new initiative has been spearheaded and agreed by the National Security Advisors (NSAs) following negotiations between both countries to expand collaboration in critical and emerging technologies across priority sectors. It will set out a bold new approach for how the UK and India work together on the defining technologies of this decade – telecoms, critical minerals, AI, quantum, health/biotech, advanced materials and semiconductors.
Lammy said: “This government will put growth at the heart of our foreign policy. That’s why three weeks into the job, I am in Delhi announcing a new Technology Security Initiative to deliver on the promise of the UK-India relationship.
“This will mean real action together on the challenges of the future from AI to critical minerals. Together we can unlock mutual growth, boost innovation, jobs and investment.
“We are also accelerating our joint work on the climate crisis – ensuring brighter, safer futures for Brits and Indians. This government is reconnecting Britain for our security and prosperity at home.”
According to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the first of its kind agreement, delivered on behalf of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, builds on a series of partnerships between British and Indian government, industry and academia. The respective NSAs will take this agreement forward to ensure the collective potential of UK-Indian critical technologies is harnessed.
During his bilateral meeting in New Delhi with Indian Minister for External Affairs Dr S. Jaishankar, Lammy focussed on deepening the bilateral partnership on climate, including to mobilise finance and unlock new clean growth opportunities. This includes strengthening the UK-India investment partnership, to unlock the potential of pioneering Indian enterprises working on climate and technology. These initiatives are specifically focussed on delivering green development while empowering women. As well as work on offshore wind and green hydrogen, the UK and India agreed to deepen partnership on forests and on building resilient cities of the future.
A new £7-million funding call for Future Telecoms research was also announced by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and India’s Department of Science and Technology, under the India-UK science, technology, and innovation partnership.
