Team Blitz India
INDIA’S Defence Minister Rajnath Singh concluded his UK visit on January 10 after a “warm and cordial meeting” with Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, where he gifted him a statue of Ram Darbar statue.
The meeting at 10, Downing Street was also attended by UK NSA Sir Tim Barrow where Rajnath Singh highlighted that both nations have made significant strides in moulding and recrafting the historic ties into a modern, multifaceted and mutually beneficial partnership.
Rajnath Singh recalled the recent enhancement in bilateral defence engagement, spanning joint exercises, training, capability building, increased interoperability, militaryto-military ties especially in the maritime domain, a Defence Ministry statement said in New Delhi.
Rules-based order
He urged that the UK and other likeminded countries should work with India for strengthening a peaceful and stable global rules-based order, including through partnering India in its inexorable rise, which can be strengthened, reinforced and speeded up with friendly collaboration.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is leading the quest of 1.4 billion Indians towards the national objective of becoming a developed country by mid-21st century, the Defence Minister stressed. PM Modi’s efforts have borne remarkable fruits, growth is sustainably on the upswing; poverty has been reduced drastically; and a business-friendly architecture has been put in place, he added.
Prime Minister Sunak agreed with Rajnath Singh on the need for the UK and India to work in the domains of trade, defence and technology.
He expressed hope that the ongoing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations could be brought to a successful conclusion soon. PM Sunak also underlined his keenness, and that of his Government, to strengthen the defence and security pillars of the bilateral relationship.
Welcome by Shapps
This was the first visit of an Indian Defence Minister to the UK in more than 20 years where he was welcomed by his counterpart Grant Shapps, added a release from UK’s Ministry of Defence.
Defence Minister Singh also met UK’s Foreign Minister Lord David Cameron. They appreciated the new momentum and direction of the IndiaUK partnership, symbolised by intense engagements at various levels. He interacted with the Indian community at India House, London.
Over 160 prominent persons of Indian origin attended the interaction.
