Strategic coordination, trade deal negotiations on the agenda as External Affairs Minister Jaishankar meets UK Foreign Secretary Lammy

Strategic coordination, political cooperation, and the recently-resumed trade deal negotiations took centre stage as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy in London on Tuesday and Wednesday (March 4-5, 2025).

The two leaders also discussed steps to strengthen collaboration in education, technology, mobility and people-to-people exchanges.

“Held wide-ranging and productive talks with Foreign Secretary @DavidLammy over past two days at the Chevening House. 

We discussed the entire gamut of bilateral ties, especially our focus on strategic coordination, political cooperation, trade deal negotiation, education, technology, mobility and people-to-people exchanges. Agreed to formulate the next steps to further strengthen and structure them,” EAM Jaishankar said on social media platform X on Wednesday. 

“We exchanged views on regional and global issues including the Ukraine conflict, West Asia, Bangladesh and the Commonwealth. 

In an uncertain and volatile world, India-UK ties contribute to stability and prosperity,” he added.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is on a two-nation visit to the United Kingdom and Ireland to strengthen bilateral ties with the two nations.

Among his first official engagements in London was a meeting with UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper on Tuesday. Their discussions included collaboration in dealing with trafficking and terrorism in addition to people-to-people exchanges. 

“A good meeting with Home Secretary @YvetteCooperMP today in London. We discussed the flow of talent, people to people exchanges, and joint efforts in tackling trafficking and extremism,” EAM Jaishankar said on X. 

India and the UK share a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which has strengthened across diverse areas including Defence & Security, Trade & Economy, Health, Education, People-to-people ties. 

External Affairs Minister Jaishankar’s visit to the UK assumes significance as it comes soon after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted a summit in London with European leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss a peace plan for Ukraine.

India and the United Kingdom are also looking at stronger trade and economic ties, having officially resumed negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) last month. The discussions, which had been on hold for nearly a year due to general elections in both countries, gained fresh momentum following a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart, Keir Starmer, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in November 2024.