India and UK Launch Groundbreaking Technology Security Initiative

India, UK launch joint tech security initiative

India and the UK on Wednesday launched a Technology Security Initiative aimed at ensuring telecommunications security and collaboration in key areas such as critical minerals, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum computing and health technology. The launch of the initiative was announced following visiting UK foreign secretary David Lammy's meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and external affairs minister S Jaishankar. As in the case of a similar initiative with the US, the India-UK Technology Security Initiative will be coordinated by the NSAs of the two countries. The Technology Security Initiative will refresh and deepen the India-UK comprehensive strategic partnership, focusing on boosting economic growth in both countries. The initiative was agreed by the Indian and UK NSAs following negotiations between both countries to expand collaboration in critical and emerging technologies across priority sectors, officials said. The collaboration under this initiative will include government, the private sector, academia and research and development institutions. Jaishankar and Lammy, during their meeting, reviewed the Roadmap 2030 for bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction at the progress achieved so far. They also agreed to look at renewing the roadmap to heighten the ambition for bilateral cooperation, the external affairs ministry said. Both sides agreed to finalise details for the renewal of the roadmap in line with contemporary realities in a time-bound manner to intensify bilateral collaboration in priority areas such as trade, investment, defence, security, migration and mobility, information technology, artificial intelligence and technology, science and technology, innovation, and green energy. India and the UK also appreciated the "substantial progress" made in negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) and "looked forward to its early conclusion to achieve a mutually beneficial" trade deal, the external affairs ministry said. The two sides further agreed to deepen defence and security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, and to enhance capacities to address "growing threats from non-state actors", the ministry said. Jaishankar and Lammy also discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the situation in West Asia and the Red Sea, the Commonwealth and the UN Security Council. A joint fact sheet on the Technology Security Initiative said the move is aimed at elevating the India-UK strategic partnership to the next level. The initiative builds on the cooperation agenda set out in the Roadmap 2030 and will bring into sharper focus collaboration in critical and emerging technologies. It will also reinforce existing collaborative efforts in various technologies, broaden the mandates of existing mechanisms, and establish new mechanisms for cooperation. Besides the Technology Security Initiative with the UK, India has the initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) with the US and the Trade and Technology Council with the European Union. All three initiatives are aimed at setting standards and collaborating in research on cutting edge technologies. Under the Technology Security Initiative, India and the UK will build an enhanced "Future Telecoms Partnership" that will focus on joint research, including on open radio access network (open RAN) systems, testbed linkups, telecoms security, spectrum innovation, software and systems architecture. In the field of critical minerals, India and the UK will expand collaboration and policy exchanges on their critical mineral strategies and jointly work to improve supply chain resilience, explore research and development and technology partnerships in the complete critical minerals value chain and develop a roadmap for cooperation. In the semiconductors sector, the two sides will work towards a broad partnership that leverages their individual strengths and explore mutually beneficial research and development focused on supply chain resilience, skills exchanges and hardware security. They will also facilitate academic and industrial collaboration, including in chip design, compound semiconductors and advanced packaging. In the field of artificial intelligence, India and the UK will work towards "safe, responsible, human-centric and trustworthy AI" that can promote global good and strengthen interoperability between their AI governance frameworks. They will also work together in multilateral forums such as the G20, Global Partnership on AI and the United Nations. In the realm of quantum computing, the two sides will establish a high-level dialogue to gain in-depth understanding of their respective national quantum strategies, and to shape the contours of future research and industry and collaboration opportunities. India and the UK will strengthen biotechnology cooperation and launch a high-level partnership on engineering biology to share knowledge and help facilitate research advances. They will also establish a high-level dialogue on advanced materials to identify specific research and development collaboration on materials and composites. A readout from the UK side said the two countries also agreed on closer collaboration on tackling climate change, accelerating the green energy partnership on offshore wind and green hydrogen, and unlocking green growth opportunities. The readout said the Technology Security Initiative outlines a "bold new approach" for the UK and India to work together on the "defining technologies of this decade" such as telecoms, critical minerals, AI, quantum and semiconductors. "This will drive forward a bilateral partnership that is framed on boosting economic growth, deepening cooperation across key issues including trade, technology, education, culture and climate," it added. A new £7-million funding call for future telecoms research was announced by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and India's Department of Science and Technology. Lammy said: "This [UK] government will put growth at the heart of our foreign policy. That's why three weeks into the job, I am in Delhi announcing a new Technology Security Initiative to deliver on the promise of the UK-India relationship."

India, UK launch ambitious Technology Security Initiative | India News - Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Government of India and the United Kingdom on Wednesday, launched a new 'Technology Security Initiative' (TSI) to strengthen their strategic partnership, acknowledging the growing significance of technology in national security and economic growth. The UK and India have agreed to strengthen their collaboration in various areas of technology, including telecommunications, critical minerals, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum, biotechnology, and advanced materials.The partnership aims to enhance research and development, promote trade and investment, and share best practices in these fields. The TSI will be focused on enhancing the ambitious bilateral cooperation agenda outlined in the India-UK Roadmap 2030, focusing on collaboration in critical and emerging technologies (CET) across various priority sectors. A statement released by the Ministry of External affairs said: "Recognising the increasing role of technology in national security and economic development, the prime ministers of India and the United Kingdom are launching a new 'Technology Security Initiative' (TSI) to elevate the strategic partnership between the two countries to the next level. " The MEA and the UK government, will establish a bilateral mechanism, to promote trade in critical and emerging technologies, including resolving relevant licensing or regulatory issues. "The TSI will be coordinated by the National Security Advisors (NSAs) of both countries through existing and new dialogues. The NSAs will set the priority areas and identify interdependencies for cooperation on critical and emerging tech that will, in turn, help build meaningful technology value chain partnerships between our two countries. The progress made on the initiative will be reviewed on a half yearly basis at Deputy NSA level," the statement read. The UK and India take pride in the extensive collaborations between their institutions in this domain and aim to build on this strong foundation to collectively shape a fourth industrial revolution. The MEA said as part of the Strategic Tech Policy Dialogue, "the UK and India will hold a dialogue on global tech governance, seeking to coordinate positions on digital technical standards, and support the multi-stakeholder model of internet governance. We will seek to expand this dialogue to include Internet Governance issues; and promotion of multi-linguism through Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs)." This collaboration will span across government entities, technology and research centers, industry players, and academic institutions. The partnership will focus on the following domains and activities within each domain: 1. Telecoms In the field of telecommunications, The UK and India will build a new and enhanced Future Telecoms Partnership "in order to collaborate on joint research on future telecoms, focussed on Open RAN systems, testbed linkups, telecoms security, spectrum innovation, software and systems architecture." 2. Critical Minerals The United Kingdom and India are set to enhance their partnership in the critical minerals sector, "exploration, processing and manufacturing. It will also: " Develop a roadmap for cooperation, and establish a UK-India "critical minerals" community of academics, innovators and industry. The two sides will set up an Observatory to provide a mechanism for sharing data on critical minerals supply chains and flows; and launch innovation pilots in partnership with the UK's Centre for Process Innovation." 3. Semiconductors The semiconductor partnership will facilitate academic and industrial R&D collaboration, including in chip design and IP, compound semiconductors, advanced packaging and innovative systems, with a focus on powering net zero, advanced telecommunications and cybersecurity; supporting semiconductor firms to build closer relationships, including in manufacturing and product development." 4. Artificial Intelligence (AI) In the area of artificial intelligence, the UK and India will work towards safe, responsible, human-centric, and trustworthy AI. "They will collaborate in multilateral fora, such as the Group of Twenty (G20), Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI), and United Nations (UN). Both sides welcome the outcomes of the UK's AI Safety Summit and India's GPAI Summit, and will ensure that India's 2024 GPAI Chairmanship delivers successful outcomes." 5. Quantum The partnership will share expertise on: " Joint hackathons in quantum algorithms and solutions for automotive, life sciences, chemicals, and greenhouse gas domains." 6. Biotechnology and HealthTech This partnership aims to: "Strengthen biotechnology cooperation. This will include genomics, genomic prediction and precision medicine, cell and gene therapy, biotherapeutics (including bio-manufacturing), smart bio-sensors and bio-electronics, biomaterials and bio-fabrication in line with respective ethical and legal frameworks and requirements of both countries. We will exchange insights as appropriate on AI tools, such as machine learning, for these activities." 7. Advanced Materials The primary objective of this dialogue is to pinpoint specific areas for research and development collaboration in the field of materials and composites and collaboration on research, responsible innovation and standards in Advanced Materials. They will also develop collaboration between leading institutions in the field of advanced 2-Dimensional and atomically-thin materials and nanotechnology. In a meeting with the British foreign secretary Lammy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed India's dedication to strengthening its relations with the UK and expressed appreciation for the mutual interest in finalizing a beneficial free trade agreement. Lammy's visit to the Indian capital marks the inaugural high-level interaction between India and the UK following the assumption of power by Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government on July 5. "That's why three weeks into the job, I am in Delhi announcing a new Technology Security Initiative to deliver on the promise of the UK-India relationship," Lammy said. "This will mean real action together on the challenges of the future from AI to critical minerals. Together we can unlock mutual growth, boost innovation, jobs and investment," he added. The TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most."

UK-India Technology Security Initiative: Here Is What's Happening | Exclusive - News18

Both sides welcomed the launch of the UK-India Technology Security Initiative (TSI), spearheaded and agreed upon by the national security advisers (NSAs) of the two countries to expand collaboration in Critical and Emerging Technologies (CET) across priority sectors including telecom, critical minerals, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum, biotech, and advanced materials British foreign secretary David Lammy visited New Delhi on Wednesday and had bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, external affairs minister S Jaishankar, and national security adviser Ajit Doval. Both sides welcomed the launch of the UK-India Technology Security Initiative (TSI), spearheaded and agreed upon by the national security advisers (NSAs) of the two countries to expand collaboration in Critical and Emerging Technologies (CET) across priority sectors including telecom, critical minerals, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum, biotech, and advanced materials. According to officials, the collaboration under TSI will include Government, Private Sector, Academia, and R&D institutions. TSI builds upon the 2030 roadmap between the two countries and is a crucial step to strengthen collaboration in the Science and Technology domain. After the launch, a fact sheet with a focus on specific technologies and areas of cooperation was also released. The fact sheet provides precise guidance to all stakeholders, especially industry and academia, and will have a deeper impact on the outcomes of collaboration. In order to make the proposed Technology and Security Initiative flexible and at par with changing scenarios of the future, new areas and themes will also be incorporated in the future. The TSI would be helpful for improving supply chain resilience and also for developing economically feasible and environmentally sustainable extraction technologies for identified critical minerals. The TSI framework will boost research, trade and investment flows between the UK and India in the domains of semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum, etc. The fields of genomics, precision medicine, cell and gene therapy, biotherapeutics, bio-manufacturing, bio-electronics, etc, will get an impetus. The United Kingdom and India will collaborate in the field of next-generation telecommunication technologies, and telecom providers, start-ups, and businesses will explore commercial opportunities in telecom infrastructure. The TSI will be coordinated and monitored by the NSAs of both countries and a joint review mechanism on a half-yearly basis will be conducted at the deputy NSA level. In order to resolve licence and regulatory issues, a bilateral mechanism for the promotion of trade in Critical and Emerging Technologies (CET) has been included.

India, UK unveil futuristic Technology Security Initiative to further broadbase strategic collaboration

The two sides deliberated on galvanising negotiations for a free trade pact. The discussions also focused on shoring up cooperation in areas of trade, defence and security, clean energy, digital domain and mobility of people. It is learnt that the Indian side, during the talks, flagged its concerns over activities of pro-Khalistan elements in the UK while the British side raised the issue of its national Christian Michel, the key accused in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, who is languishing in a jail in India. The British foreign secretary also held separate talks with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. The major highlight of Lammy's engagements with his Indian interlocutors was the unveiling of the TSI that builds upon the ambitious cooperation agenda set out in the India-UK Roadmap 2030. The new initiative seeks to bring into sharper focus collaboration in critical and emerging technologies across priority sectors. "Recognising the increasing role of technology in national security and economic development, the prime ministers of India and the United Kingdom are launching a new 'Technology Security Initiative' (TSI) to elevate the strategic partnership between the two countries to the next level," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. The MEA said the TSI will be coordinated by the NSAs of both countries through existing and new dialogues. Under the TSI, India and the UK will collaborate in areas of telecommunication, critical minerals, semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum, biotechnology and healthtech and advanced materials. On proposed cooperation in the telecommunication sector, the MEA said the two countries will build a new and enhanced "future telecoms partnership in order to collaborate on joint research on future telecoms, focussed on Open RAN systems, telecom security and spectrum innovation. Under the critical minerals pillar, the two sides will work together to improve supply chain resilience and explore possible research and technology partnerships along the complete critical minerals value chain including exploration, processing and manufacturing. The TSI would also provide for a framework for building a broad UK-India semiconductor partnership that will leverage each other's strengths and incentives and explore mutually beneficial research and development as well as supply chain resilience. Lammy is on a two-day visit to India primarily to reset the overall partnership between the two countries in crucial areas such as trade, defence and security, clean energy, new technologies, digital domain and mobility of people. The British foreign secretary called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi who said India remains committed to elevating its ties with the UK and welcomes the desire to conclude a mutually beneficial free trade pact. Lammy's visit to New Delhi is the first high-level engagement between India and the UK after Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government came to power on July 5. On the TSI, a British readout said it has been spearheaded and agreed by the NSAs following negotiations between both countries to expand collaboration in critical and emerging technologies across priority sectors. "It will set out a bold new approach for how the UK and India work together on the defining technologies of this decade -- telecoms, critical minerals, AI, quantum, health/bio tech, advanced materials and semiconductors," it said. This first-of-its-kind agreement -- delivered by the foreign secretary on behalf of the prime minister -- builds on a series of partnerships between the British and Indian governments, industry and academia, it said. The readout said the NSAs will take this agreement forward to ensure the collective potential of UK-Indian critical technologies is harnessed. "This will drive forward a bilateral partnership that is framed on boosting economic growth, deepening cooperation across key issues including trade, technology, education, culture and climate," it said. The readout mentioned that a new 7-million pounds funding call for future telecoms research was also announced by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and India's Department of Science and Technology. "This government will put growth at the heart of our foreign policy. "That's why three weeks into the job, I am in Delhi announcing a new Technology Security Initiative to deliver on the promise of the UK-India relationship," Lammy said. "This will mean real action together on the challenges of the future from AI to critical minerals. Together we can unlock mutual growth, boost innovation, jobs and investment," he said. In a post on 'X', Jaishankar described his talks with Lammy as "productive and engaging". "Noted the immense potential to take forward the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, building on close links in trade & economy, defense & security, education, IT, digital, space & high tech, culture, mobility and people to people ties," he said. "Welcomed the launch of the Technology Security Initiative that will open new avenues for collaboration. Also exchanged perspectives on regional and global issues and cooperation in multilateral forums," he added. In his opening remarks at the meeting, Jaishankar said the India-UK relationship has enormous possibilities and realising them meaningfully is the task at hand. "I do believe that our relationship, it is a very important relationship, at the enormous possibilities there," he said. "And how we explore those possibilities, how do we realise our potential in a more meaningful way, is one of the tasks that I look forward to undertaking with you," he said. "We are both countries which have a big global presence in different ways. So I think it's also important that India and the UK work together on global issues and in global platforms," Jaishankar said. In their talks, Jaishankar and Lammy also reviewed the implementation of the India-UK roadmap that seeks to broad-base the ties in a range of areas. In 2021, India and the UK adopted the 10-year roadmap to expand ties in the key areas of trade and economy, defence and security, climate change and people-to-people connections among others. PTI MPB RT RT RT

India, UK unveil futuristic Technology Security Initiative; resolve to seal FTA soon

In the discussions, both sides appreciated the "substantial" progress made in the India-UK FTA negotiations and looked forward to its "early conclusion" to achieve a mutually beneficial deal, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. It is learnt that the Indian side, during the talks, flagged its concerns over activities of pro-Khalistan elements in the UK while the British side raised the issue of Christian Michel, the key accused in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, who is languishing in a jail in India. In the talks, the two sides agreed to deepen defence and security cooperation, in the Indo-Pacific and beyond, and to enhance capacities to address growing threats from "non-state actors", the MEA said in a statement. The British foreign secretary arrived in Delhi this morning for the first high-level engagement with New Delhi three weeks after Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government came to power. Ahead of his talks with Jaishankar, Lammy called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi who said India remains committed to elevating its ties with the UK and welcomes the desire to conclude a mutually beneficial free trade pact. The British foreign secretary also held separate talks with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. In their talks, Jaishankar and Lammy also discussed the migration and mobility partnership between the two countries with a view to strengthen people-to-people ties. The MEA said the collaboration under TSI will include government, private sector, academia and research and development institutions. The initiative was "spearheaded and agreed" by the NSAs of the two countries. The TSI seeks to build upon the ambitious cooperation agenda set out in the India-UK Roadmap 2030. In the talks, Jaishankar and Lammy also discussed India-UK collaboration in the field of climate and green economy. The two sides deliberated on regional and global issues of mutual interest, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the situation in West Asia and the Red Sea. However, the major highlight of Lammy's engagements with the Indian interlocutors was the unveiling of the TSI which focuses on expanding collaboration in critical and emerging technologies (CET) across priority sectors. Besides telecom, critical minerals, semiconductors and artificial intelligence, the other areas identified for cooperation are quantum, biotech and advanced materials. "Recognising the increasing role of technology in national security and economic development, the prime ministers of India and the United Kingdom are launching a new 'Technology Security Initiative' (TSI) to elevate the strategic partnership between the two countries to the next level," a fact-sheet released by the MEA said. On proposed cooperation in the telecommunication sector, the MEA said the two countries will build a new and enhanced "future telecoms partnership in order to collaborate on joint research on future telecoms, focussed on Open RAN systems, telecom security and spectrum innovation". Under the critical minerals pillar, the two sides will work together to improve supply chain resilience and explore possible research and technology partnerships along the complete critical minerals value chain including exploration, processing and manufacturing. The TSI would also provide a framework for building a broad UK-India semiconductor partnership that will leverage each other's strengths and incentives and explore mutually beneficial research and development as well as supply chain resilience. On the TSI, a British readout said it has been spearheaded and agreed to the NSAs following negotiations between both countries to expand collaboration in critical and emerging technologies across priority sectors. "It will set out a bold new approach for how the UK and India work together on the defining technologies of this decade -- telecoms, critical minerals, AI, quantum, health/bio tech, advanced materials and semiconductors," it said. This first-of-its-kind agreement -- delivered by the foreign secretary on behalf of the prime minister -- builds on a series of partnerships between the British and Indian governments, industry and academia, it said. The readout said the NSAs will take this agreement forward to ensure the collective potential of UK-Indian critical technologies is harnessed. "This will drive forward a bilateral partnership that is framed on boosting economic growth, deepening cooperation across key issues including trade, technology, education, culture and climate," it said. The readout mentioned that a new 7-million pounds funding call for future telecoms research was also announced by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and India's Department of Science and Technology. "This government will put growth at the heart of our foreign policy. That's why three weeks into the job, I am in Delhi announcing a new Technology Security Initiative to deliver on the promise of the UK-India relationship," Lammy said. "This will mean real action together on the challenges of the future from AI to critical minerals. Together we can unlock mutual growth, boost innovation, jobs and investment," he said. In a post on 'X', Jaishankar described his talks with Lammy as "productive and engaging". "Noted the immense potential to take forward the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, building on close links in trade & economy, defence & security, education, IT, digital, space & high tech, culture, mobility and people to people ties," he said. "Welcomed the launch of the Technology Security Initiative that will open new avenues for collaboration. Also exchanged perspectives on regional and global issues and cooperation in multilateral forums," he added. In his opening remarks at the meeting, Jaishankar said the India-UK relationship is "very important" with enormous possibilities and realising them meaningfully is the task at hand. "How do we realise our potential in a more meaningful way, is one of the tasks that I look forward to undertaking with you," he said. "We are both countries which have a big global presence in different ways. So I think it's also important that India and the UK work together on global issues and in global platforms," Jaishankar said. In their talks, Jaishankar and Lammy also reviewed the implementation of the India-UK roadmap that seeks to broad-base the ties in a range of areas. In 2021, India and the UK adopted the 10-year roadmap to expand ties in the key areas of trade and economy, defence and security, climate change and people-to-people connections among others. PTI MPB RT RT RT

UK-India Technology Security Initiative to set bold new approach for defining technologies of this decade

The new UK-India Technology Security Initiative agreed on delivering crucial collaboration on telecoms security and unlocking investment across emerging technologies. The new initiative will refresh and deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, focusing on boosting economic growth in both countries. "The UK and India, both agreed to closer collaboration on tackling climate change, accelerating green energy partnerships on off-shore wind and green hydrogen, and unlocking green growth opportunities," the British High Commission said in a release. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced the UK-India Technology Security Initiative during his first visit to India in his role, where he met senior Indian Government officials including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as part of the government's reset with the global south. The Initiative has been spearheaded and agreed by the National Security Advisors (NSAs) following negotiations between both countries to expand collaboration in critical and emerging technologies across priority sectors. "It will set out a bold new approach for how the UK and India work together on the defining technologies of this decade - telecoms, critical minerals, AI, quantum, health/biotech, advanced materials and semiconductors," the High Commission stated. This first-of-its-kind agreement, delivered by the UK Foreign Secretary on behalf of the British PM, further builds on a series of partnerships between the British and Indian governments, industry, and academia. Further, the respective National Security Advisers will take this agreement forward to ensure the collective potential of UK-Indian critical technologies is harnessed. The announcement is part of a wider package of announcements the Foreign Secretary agreed to following bilateral meetings in New Delhi with PM Modi and Minister for External Affairs Jaishankar to refresh the UK-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Moreover, the initiative will drive forward a bilateral partnership that is framed on boosting economic growth and deepening cooperation across key issues, including trade, technology, education, culture and climate. Meanwhile, a new Pound 7-million funding call for Future Telecoms research was also announced by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and India's Department of Science and Technology, under the India-UK science, technology, and innovation partnership, the British High Commission said. The UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, assured that the British government will put growth at the heart of their foreign policy. "That's why three weeks into the job, I am in Delhi announcing a new Technology Security Initiative to deliver on the promise of the UK-India relationship," he said. This will mean real action together on the challenges of the future, from AI to critical minerals. "Together we can unlock mutual growth, boost innovation, jobs and investment," the UK Foreign Secretary emphasised. He further said that the UK and India are also accelerating joint work on the climate crisis - ensuring brighter, safer futures for Brits and Indians. "This government is reconnecting Britain for our security and prosperity at home," he added. Secretary of State for Science, Peter Kyle, said that the UK and India are recognised the world over as powerhouses for science, innovation and technology and this new agreement will deliver growth and untold benefits for citizens across both nations. "From telecoms and semiconductors to biotechnology and AI, these generation-defining technologies will unlock countless new opportunities and innovations, so we can deliver for working people here and in India as we deepen our long-standing partnership," the British High Commission said. The Foreign Secretary agreed with the Minister for External Affairs to deepen the partnership on climate, including to mobilise finance and unlocking new clean growth opportunities. This includes strengthening the India-UK investment partnership, to unlock the potential of pioneering Indian enterprises working on climate and technology. "These initiatives are specifically focussed on delivering green development while empowering women," the statement read. As well as work on off-shore-wind and green hydrogen, the UK and India agreed to deepen our partnership on forests and on building resilient cities of the future. (ANI)

India and UK launch tech initiative as new British foreign minister makes his first official visit

NEW DELHI -- India and the United Kingdom launched a new technology security initiative expected to boost economic growth and deepen collaboration, the two countries announced during the first official visit to India by the new British foreign secretary. According to the agreement, which was announced late Wednesday, the two countries will work together on crucial technologies, from critical minerals and AI to semiconductors and telecoms. It will also strengthen cooperation on issues like climate, trade, technology and education, according to a statement released by British Foreign Secretary David Lammy's office. In talks with his counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the two also agreed to boost defense and security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, and discussed global issues including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, according to a statement from the Indian Foreign Ministry. Lammy said his trip to India reflects one of the new government's top foreign policy priorities: a reset with Europe, both on climate and with the Global South. Britain's new Labour Party government, which swept the polls in the July 4 election, says it wants to "reset and relaunch" U.K.-India relations, particularly by restarting formal talks that began in 2022 on a free trade agreement hailed by then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson as a key goal after Britain's departure from the European Union in 2020. Lammy also met with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Dovalas and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said he welcomed the new technology security initiative. Modi also said India was looking forward to settling on a free trade agreement in a post on social media platform X. The trade deal was aimed at doubling the two countries' trade from its 2022 level of $50 billion by 2030. Johnson famously promised to have a deal done by Diwali in October of that year. The two countries held 13 rounds of negotiations without a breakthrough before talks were suspended while both nations held 2024 general elections. ___ Associated Press journalist Jill Lawless contributed from London.