India, UK launch initiatives for minerals, maritime cooperation

NEW DELHI: As UK foreign secretary Yvette Cooper visited India Thursday, both sides announced the launch of a Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory, marking, as an Indian readout said, a significant milestone in their growing partnership on critical minerals and supply chain resilience.

In another significant takeaway, India and UK also signed an MoU for setting up a Regional Maritime Security Centre of Excellence, which will help Indian Ocean states build capacity to address non-traditional maritime security threats.

Cooper also met her counterpart S Jaishankar and called on PM Modi. The two sides reviewed ongoing progress in bilateral cooperation focusing on trade, technology, supply chains, defence, climate, education and people-to-people ties.

Jaishankar told Cooper in the meeting that the two countries are well-positioned to construct a new future-oriented and mutually beneficial partnership on the back of their newly firmed-up comprehensive trade deal and the defence industrial roadmap. He also said in a post on X later that they spoke about new opportunities in clean energy, AI and critical minerals while exchanging views on global developments, including in Ukraine, West Asia and the Indo-Pacific.

Before her meeting with Jaishankar, the UK foreign secretary called on PM Modi. “Appreciated the deepening of the India-UK partnership in recent times that has unlocked unprecedented growth opportunities for both our countries. India-UK Vision 2035 will continue to guide our partnership and strengthen our joint efforts for global good,” said Modi on X.

The two sides had last year launched Vision 2035 to work for mutual growth, prosperity and to shape a “prosperous, secure, and sustainable world in a time of rapid global change”.

Jaishankar highlighted the finalisation of the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), the adoption of a comprehensive strategic partnership and the defence industrial roadmap as major achievements.

He said CETA addresses concerns about creating resilient supply chains and addressing concerns in areas of trade, energy, food and economic security. “Our ties have moved from being a historical and perhaps cultural connection to being a forward-looking highway of shared economic ambitions and high technology,” he added.