United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy's Visit to India

The United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, David Lammy, visited India on 7th June 2025. It was David Lammy's second official visit to India.

During his visit to India, David Lammy met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and Union Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.

Highlights of David Lammy's Visit 

During his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, David Lammy strongly condemned the Pahalgam terror incident of 22 April 2025.  

• Prime Minister Modi Invited United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer to India in the near future.
• During David Lammy’s talk with Dr Jaishankar, both ministers appreciated the launch of the Strategic Exports and Technology Cooperation Dialogue. 
• The first Dialogue, chaired by Vikram Misri, the Foreign Secretary of India, was held on 3 June 2025 in New Delhi.
• They also welcomed the successful conclusion of the India-United Kingdom Free Trade Area Agreement and the Double Contribution Convention.

India-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement 

India and the United Kingdom signed a Free Trade Area (FTA) agreement on 6 May 2025. 

The agreement aims to double bilateral trade between the two countries from $60 billion to $120 billion by 2030.

Under the FTA, India will cut duties on 90% of British products sold in India, and within a decade, 85% of British products sold in India will become tariff-free.

Similarly, the United Kingdom will reduce duties on 99% of Indian goods sold to the United Kingdom to zero per cent.

The FTA is expected to be implemented within a year.

Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles visit to India 

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles visited India on 4th June 2025. 

His visit coincided with the fifth anniversary of the India-Australia Comprehensive Partnership.

Australia and India upgraded their bilateral relationship from ‘Strategic Partnership’ in 2009 to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in 2020.

Richard Marles also met the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi.