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A joint military exercise of Indian and British troops concluded on Sunday, with the drill this time focusing on peace-enforcement operations in a counter-terrorism environment, officials said. This was the eighth edition of the biennial Army exercise 'Ajeya Warrior'. "The A (AMBOOR) Company 2nd Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles of the British Army, and the 21st Sikh Regiment of the Indian Army have been undertaking complex training at the Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in Rajasthan since the start of the exercise on November 17," the British High Commission said in a statement here. Continuing the trend of increasing complexity and interoperability, the exercise this time focused on conducting peace-enforcing operations in a counter-terrorism environment as mandated under Chapter 7 of the United Nations Charter, it said. This involved executing simulated operations in a multi-domain urban and semi-urban environment. During the exercise, the two armies shared standard operating procedure
The House of Lords International Agreements Committee has opened an inquiry this week into the impacts and implications of the UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), concluded during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Britain in July. The cross-party panel, which includes British Indian Conservative peer Baroness Sandy Verma, is seeking evidence from experts and stakeholders as part of the parliamentary process before the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) can come into effect. With a target to double bilateral trade to USD 120 billion by 2030, the CETA has been pitched by the Prime Minister Keir Starmer-led government as a landmark agreement" that will increase trade by 25.5 billion pounds and UK GDP by 4.8 billion pounds annually in the long run. As we undertake a new programme of evidence gathering, covering the terms of the FTA, its potential benefits and disadvantages, and provisions for key UK sectors, among other issues, we encourage anyone with experience
The UK and India are united in their grief for all those impacted by the Ahmedabad-London Air India plane crash last week, Britain's Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has said. At a multi-faith memorial service organised by India House in London on Monday evening, Rayner was joined by fellow parliamentarians, Foreign Office officials and members of the Indian community as they paid solemn tributes to the lives lost and efforts of rapid deployment teams on the ground. The event was marked by spiritual reflections from all major faiths as well as floral tributes by the diverse congregation. What struck me over the last few days is that the UK and India may be two countries separated by a vast distance, but in the ways that really count we are so very, very close, Rayner said in her address at the High Commission of India. We mark our bond today in a simple and profound way. We grieve together. I'd like to extend my condolences to everybody who's here today, and beyond the High ...
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has chaired an India-UK Investor Roundtable in London, attracting around 60 UK investors representing various pension funds, insurance companies, banks and other financial institutions. According to the Ministry of Finance, the high-level roundtable on Tuesday evening outlined the priorities of the government for enabling sustained economic growth and investment opportunities, with the policy support that is shaping "New India". It highlighted the efforts being made by the ministry to pursue process and governance reforms to reduce compliance burden and ease regulation for facilitating an enabling environment for business and investments. India offers a compelling growth opportunity for foreign banks and the government of India is actively encouraging foreign investment in the banking sector, Sitharaman told the gathering. With an expanding middle class and strong and stable policy environment, the Union Finance Minister said that India is set to
The proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the United Kingdom is "genuinely beneficial" to both countries as it would help boost bilateral trade and investments, UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds said on Tuesday. India and the UK on Monday announced resumption of negotiations for the FTA, which is expected to double or even triple bilateral trade from the current USD 20 billion in the next 10 years. Reynolds met Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal to discuss about the agreement. After concluding the two-day talks with the Indian minister, Reynolds said: "This is about an agreement which is genuinely beneficial to both countries. That is possible. That's the prize. Getting it right is what we are here to do, and that's what we are working very hard towards". Terming it a "substantial" agreement, he said these pacts make a "real difference if you" get them right. The negotiations are resuming after a gap of over eight months. The t
The UK-India strategic partnership took another major step forward with the formal launch of Defence PartnershipIndia (DP-I) and the signing of several defence agreements at the Aero India show on Monday. Announcing DP-I, UK Defence Minister Lord Vernon Coaker inaugurated the UK-India Defence Partnership Pavilion, establishing a dedicated programme office within the UK's Ministry of Defence to serve as a one-stop shop for strengthening bilateral defence collaboration between the two countries. "The UK and India have today agreed to expand their collaboration on next-generation weapons with Thales and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). Thales and BDL have signed a contract to deliver Laser Beam Riding MANPADs (LBRM), with an initial supply of High Velocity Missiles (STARStreak) and launchers set for delivery this year," the British High Commission in India said. This contract marks a significant step forward in UK-India defence cooperation, particularly in the critical area of air defenc
Two types of extremism with their origins in the Indian subcontinent -- pro-Khalistan extremism and Hindu nationalist extremism -- have been flagged as threats to understand in a leaked report into the UK government's Extremism Review'. Extremely Confused: The government's new counter-extremism review revealed', authored by Andrew Gilligan and Dr Paul Scott for the Policy Exchange think tank released earlier this week, claims 'Hindu nationalist extremism' has found a mention in such a review for the first time. UK Home Office Security Minister Dan Jarvis told the House of Commons on Tuesday that it was not entirely clear which version of the report was leaked and stressed that its claims did not represent government policy. It follows Home Secretary Yvette Cooper ordering a Rapid Analytical Sprint' last August to determine the Labour government's policy on extremism. As per the leaked report, the longest section is labelled Understand and lists nine types of extremism in the follow
Britain's Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, on Monday revealed plans to visit India next month with a focus on finalising the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations as part of the UK government's ambition to elevate the bilateral partnership across all sectors. Addressing India Global Forum's (IGF) annual UK-India Parliamentary Lunch at the House of Lords complex in London, Reynolds highlighted the strength of the bilateral trading relationship which stood at GBP 41 billion in the year until September 2024. However, the Cabinet minister went on to reaffirm the British government's commitment to improve trade between India as the fifth and the UK as the sixth largest economies of the world. I want to reaffirm the UK's commitment to deliver growth for both countries through the trade deal that we're talking about, through the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the Technology Security Initiative; and I can let you know exclusively, I hear what you say
Servotech Power Systems on Wednesday announced its collaboration with UK-based Ensmart Power to expand EV (electric vehicle) Charger business in the UK and beyond. This agreement will capitalise on the rapid growth of electric vehicle adoption in these regions, the company said in a statement. By combining Servotech's innovative EV charging solutions with Ensmart Power's expertise in energy storage and distribution, the partnership aims to provide a reliable and accessible charging infrastructure for consumers, it stated. According to the statement, Servotech Power Systems Ltd, a leading EV charger manufacturer, and UK-based Ensmart Power, a pioneer in critical power, solar, and energy storage systems, have signed a sole distribution agreement to expand their EV charger distribution network across the UK and beyond, including North America. The collaboration will drive the development of green mobility alternatives, contributing to a carbon-neutral transportation ecosystem and sett
A first-of-its-kind India-UK financing agreement to facilitate and unlock sustainable international investments into New Delhi's ambitious infrastructure projects was signed off in London on Wednesday, with a raft of national highways, rapid transport and renewable energy schemes set to benefit. The UK-India Infrastructure Financing Bridge (UKIIFB), agreed during the UK Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) in September last year, has now been operationalised for an initial two-year period between the City of London Corporation and the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog). A Steering Committee made up of representatives from the government's Treasury department, construction giants, engineering and legal firms operating across both countries has also been unveiled to drive forward the aims of getting mega infrastructure projects bid-ready. This is a game-changer that not only accelerates India's economic ascent but also strengthens its position on the global stage