‘Had a fruitful meeting’: Piyush Goyal, UK’s David Lammy discuss India-UK FTA, bilateral trade boos
NEW DELHI : Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Shri Piyush Goyal, late Saturday evening, described his meeting with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy as “fruitful,” highlighting discussions on deepening bilateral trade and enhancing cooperation across key sectors under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Taking to microblogging site X, he wrote, “Had a fruitful meeting with UK Foreign Secretary @DavidLammy today. We both expressed our appreciation towards the work done in finalising the historic India-UK FTA, which is poised to give further boost to our growing ties.
“We further discussed avenues to deepen bilateral trade and strengthen collaboration across various sectors to unlock the full potential of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”, he also noted.
He noted that the two sides explored ways to unlock the full potential of the partnership.
The meeting followed high-level engagements between Lammy and top Indian leaders.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also met the UK Foreign Secretary a day earlier and acknowledged his “substantive contribution” to strengthening the bilateral relationship.
“Pleased to meet UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy. Appreciate his substantive contribution to the remarkable progress in our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, further strengthened by the recently concluded FTA,” PM Modi posted on X. He also thanked the UK for supporting India in the fight against cross-border terrorism.
Lammy responded with a message of mutual commitment, “Thank you Prime Minister @narendramodi for your warm welcome to India. Building on the free trade agreement between our great countries, we will continue working together to deepen our partnership, celebrate our unique living bridge, and deliver growth and security.”
Earlier, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held bilateral talks with Lammy, during which the UK’s strong condemnation of the recent Pahalgam terror attack was appreciated.
“We practice a policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and expect our partners to understand it. We will never countenance perpetrators of evil being put at par with their victims,” Jaishankar said.
Lammy also conveyed condolences from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the Pahalgam attack and reiterated Britain’s support in countering terrorism. “My Prime Minister wishes me to convey once again the deep condolences of the UK and a hand of friendship with India,” Lammy stated.
The visit marked a significant step forward in the evolving UK-India relationship, focusing on trade, technology, climate cooperation, and regional security.
