India- UK launches an ambitious roadmap to 2030 to deepen future relations

India and UK adopted an ambitious India-UK Roadmap to 2030 to steer cooperation. During a virtual bilateral summit, Prime Minister Modi and British PM Boris Johnson emphasized that enhanced India-UK bilateral cooperation can not only reap mutual benefits but also be a global force for good to revive lives and livelihoods, promote peace and prosperity around the world and protect and preserve the planet for future generations.

New Delhi: India and UK on Tuesday adopted an ambitious India-UK Roadmap to 2030 to steer cooperation for the next ten years.

During a virtual bilateral summit, Prime Minister Modi and British PM Boris Johnson emphasized that enhanced India-UK bilateral cooperation can not only reap mutual benefits but also be a global force for good to revive lives and livelihoods, promote peace and prosperity around the world and protect and preserve the planet for future generations.

According to the joint statement issued by MEA after the meeting, the two Prime Ministers agreed on a common vision of a new and transformational Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and the UK, underpinned by their shared commitment to democracy, fundamental freedoms, multilateralism and rule-based international order.

"As the world continues to face severe new waves of COVID-19 infections, both leaders acknowledged the difficult circumstances caused by the pandemic globally. They offered their deepest condolences for the loss of lives and expressed the deepest sympathy with the families of the victims of this pandemic in India, the UK and the rest of the world", it added.

Prime Minister Modi went on to thank Prime Minister Boris Johnson for the prompt assistance provided by the UK in the form of critical medical equipment for ameliorating the current situation in India. Both Leaders emphasized that global cooperation and solidarity are key to fighting the pandemic and achieving sustainable and inclusive recovery.

They further agreed to expand and enhance the existing UK-India vaccines partnership, highlighting the successful collaboration between Oxford University, Astra Zeneca and the Serum Institute of India on an effective Covid19 vaccine that is 'developed in the UK', 'Made in India' and 'distributed globally'. They emphasized that the international community should learn lessons and agreed to work together to reform and strengthen WHO and the global health security architecture to strengthen pandemic resilience, the MEA said in a statement.

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It is worth noting that both leaders welcomed the launch of the Enhanced Trade Partnership and announced their intent to negotiate a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement to unlock the full potential of their trade and commercial relationship, boosting jobs, investment and exports, including consideration of an Interim Trade Agreement to deliver early gains.

They agreed to continue removing trade barriers on the path to an FTA, and an ambitious target of more than doubling India-UK trade by 2030.

They welcomed the gains made by their joint investment programmes and the signing of an India-UK MoU on the Global Innovation Partnership to support the transfer of inclusive innovations from India to selected developing countries.

MEA said that both the leaders recognized the importance of securing reliable and sustainable supply chains that are resilient to major disruptions like the current pandemic and agreed to support the diversification of global supply chains.

Also, they emphasized their shared commitment to an enhanced partnership in science, education, research and innovation and look forward to the next ministerial Science and Innovation Council (SIC).

During the bilateral summit, the Prime Ministers agreed to deepen their defence and security cooperation through the India-UK Defence and International Security Partnership framework and welcomed the finalization of the new logistics MoU, it added.

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"They agreed to increase maritime co-operation, inviting the UK’s Liaison Officer to India’s Information Fusion Centre, establishing an annual India-UK Maritime Dialogue and strengthening operational coordination. During the deployment of the UK's Carrier Strike Group in the Indian Ocean Region in 2021, they agreed to hold joint exercises that will deepen cooperation in a region of critical strategic importance to both countries", the joint statement read.

It, however, deserves a special mention that the leaders affirmed their shared vision of an open, free, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific region, underpinned by respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, rule of law, transparency, freedom of navigation and overflight in the international seas, unimpeded lawful commerce, and peaceful resolution of disputes.

Expressing deep concern at the ongoing violence and targeted assassinations in Afghanistan, both sides agreed that any political solution in Afghanistan should be Afghan-owned and Afghan-led and that the development progress which has been made over the last two decades, including on the rights of women, children and minorities, and constitutional democratic structure and freedoms, should be preserved. Both sides recognized each other’s extensive development contribution in Afghanistan.

"UK reaffirmed its support for India’s permanent membership in a reformed UN Security Council. In this context, both countries called for the initiation of text-based negotiations to achieve concrete outcomes within a fixed timeframe. The UK also reiterated its support for India’s entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group", read the statement issued by MEA.

Both leaders reaffirmed that people-to-people contacts provide strength and durability to the bilateral partnership, including the 1.6 million strong Indian diasporas as the living, a thriving bridge between the two countries.

They further welcomed the signing of the India-UK comprehensive Migration and Mobility Partnership (MMP) and expressed confidence in the benefits it will have in facilitating the legal movement of students and professionals, and combating illegal migration and organised immigration crime.

Overall during the meeting, the two Prime Ministers committed to remaining closely engaged and invested in each other's security and prosperity. They tasked their Foreign Ministers to undertake an annual Strategic Review of the implementation of the Roadmap and report back to them.

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