NEW DELHI: Continuing with New Delhi’s Europe outreach, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will visit the United Kingdom and Ireland from March 4 to 9.
The visit comes days after India and the European Union outlined an ambitious partnership roadmap after Prime Minister Modi's meeting with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and her delegation including year-end Free Trade Agreement deadline, expanded tech cooperation, and enhanced defence and security partnership.
Though not part of the EU, India and the UK share a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. During the visit, Jaishankar will meet Foreign Secretary David Lammy and other leaders besides meeting Indian community members.
Jaishankar will then travel to Ireland from March 6 to 7, where he will meet Irish Foreign Minister Simon Harris, other dignitaries, and representatives of the Indian community.
“The visit will provide renewed impetus to India’s friendly ties with both UK and Ireland,” External Affairs Ministry said. India's outreach to Europe comes amid the geopolitical challenges sparked by the Trump administration, which, among other things, strained the US-Europe relationship over a host of issues including trade and conflict in Ukraine.
“Geo-economic and political circumstances are rapidly evolving. And old equations are breaking down. In times like these, the partnership between India and the EU becomes even more important,” Prime Minister Modi said last Friday.
In his meeting with David Lammy last June, Jaishankar spoke about “meaningfully realising the potential of the enormous possibilities” in the bilateral relationship.
New Delhi and London announced plans to resume trade talks for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), a bilateral investment treaty, and a separate social security pact during UK Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds’s visit last week.
India-UK trade pact is significant as it would be India’s first comprehensive agreement with a Western country, promoting deeper economic integration with a global services sector leader. It is seen as a possible model for future trade deals with larger partners like the European Union.