NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar met British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street in London late on Tuesday evening. He conveyed “warm greetings” from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Jaishankar said their discussions included bilateral cooperation and the UK’s view on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“Discussed taking forward our bilateral, economic cooperation and enhancing people to people exchanges. PM Starmer also shared the UK’s perspective on the Ukraine conflict,” Jaishankar said in a social media post.
Earlier on Tuesday, Jaishankar held a series of meetings on the first day of his six-day visit to the UK and Ireland.
He met UK business and trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds, where they talked about the progress of the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.
“Discussed the progress on our FTA talks,” Jaishankar said in a post on X after the meeting.
India and the UK had restarted negotiations on the FTA during the UK minister’s visit to Delhi last month. The agreement aims to strengthen the GBP 41-billion annual trade relationship between the two countries.
Jaishankar also met UK home secretary Yvette Cooper. Their discussions covered people-to-people ties and joint efforts to address extremism.
“We discussed the flow of talent, people to people exchanges, and joint efforts in tackling trafficking and extremism,” Jaishankar said.
Before the visit, the ministry of external mffairs (MEA) said that the trip would help strengthen India’s relations with the UK and Ireland.