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• Talks with the Indian Government to deepen and diversify the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries to deliver for working people in the UK.聽
• Comes after historic Free Trade Agreement was agreed between the UK and India set to increase trade by more than 拢25bn every year.聽聽
• Foreign Secretary will meet with Prime Minister Modi on his second visit to India to discuss ongoing economic and migration partnership

Bolstering economic and migration ties and delivering further growth opportunities for British businesses are set to be at the top of the Foreign Secretary鈥檚 visit to India this weekend.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy will travel to New Delhi to further advance an ambitious UK-India relationship during talks with the Indian Government, including Prime Minister Modi and External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, alongside government officials.

The visit follows the historic Free Trade Agreement agreed between the two countries and will deliver on this government鈥檚 commitment to boost jobs and prosperity back in the UK, as part of the government鈥檚 Plan for Change. The new deal with India is expected to increase bilateral trade by over 拢25 billion every year, UK GDP by 拢4.8 billion, and wages by 拢2.2 billion each year in the long run, putting money back in the pockets of working people.

The Foreign Secretary will also welcome progress in our migration partnership, including ongoing work on safeguarding citizens and securing borders in both countries. Addressing migration remains a top priority for the government - the Foreign Secretary is focused on working internationally with global partners to secure the UK鈥檚 borders at home.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:聽聽

India was one of my first visits as Foreign Secretary, and since then has been a key partner in the delivery of our Plan for Change. Our relationship has gone from strength to strength 鈥� securing our future technologies, adding over 拢25bn in trade every year between our countries and deepening the strong links between our cultures and people.聽聽聽

Signing a free trade agreement is just the start of our ambitions - we鈥檙e building a modern partnership with India for a new global era. We want to go even further to foster an even closer relationship and cooperate when it comes to delivering growth, fostering innovative technology, tackling the climate crisis and delivering our migration priorities, and providing greater security for our people.

The Foreign Secretary聽will also meet with leading figures in Indian business to discuss how we can unlock even greater investment by Indian business in the UK. Our investment relationship supports over 600,000 jobs across both countries, with over 950 Indian-owned companies in the UK and over 650 UK companies in India. In 2023-24, India was the UK鈥檚 second largest source of investments in terms of number of projects for the fifth consecutive year.聽

Talks will also take stock of progress,聽following a commitment by the UK and Indian Prime Ministers to take forward an ambitious UK-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The trade deal is a key example of the progress being made since the last meeting between the Foreign Secretary and his Indian counterpart. It follows the signing of the UK-India Programme of Cultural Cooperation Agreement in May and 拢400m of trade and investment wins boosting the British and the Indian economy at the Economic and Financial Dialogue in April.聽

The Foreign Secretary is also聽expected to address聽the recent escalation in tensions following the Pahalgam terrorist attack and how the welcomed sustained period of peace can be best supported in the interests of stability in the region. 聽聽

The visit comes as some of India鈥檚 top business leaders endorsed the trade deal which will increase opportunities for trade and investment between the UK and India. It also comes ahead of the launch of the UK鈥檚 modern Industrial Strategy, which will make it quicker, easier and cheaper to do business in the UK.聽

Notes聽to Editors:

• On 2 May, the UK and India signed a new UK-India Programme of Cultural Cooperation to boost collaboration across the arts and culture, creative industries, tourism and sport sectors. The agreement will open the door for increased UK creative exports to India and enable more partnerships between UK and Indian museums and cultural institutions, helping to grow UK soft power.聽
• At the 13th UK-India Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) in April, Chancellor Rachel Reeves welcomed 拢400m of trade and investment wins set to boost the British and the Indian economy and deliver economic growth and security for working people.
• David Lammy travelled to India on his first official visit as Foreign Secretary in July last year, when he announced the landmark UK-India Technology Security Initiative. The initiative is delivering crucial collaboration on telecoms security and unlocking investment across emerging technologies - telecoms, critical minerals, AI, quantum, health/bio tech, advanced materials and semiconductors.