Foreign Secretary meeting with Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, India 20 September

A Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office spokesperson said:

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and India Minister of External Affairs Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar discussed the importance of the UK-India relationship and a shared drive to deepen the economic and security partnership between the two countries.

They reflected on the strategic and economic significance of the India 2030 Roadmap signed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and India Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the work to build a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement deal that maximises benefits for both countries.

The Foreign Secretary thanked Dr Jaishankar for the Indian Government’s support ahead of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG) arrival in India. They agreed that the CSG visit, the UK’s recent ASEAN Dialogue Partner Status and a commitment to deepen economic ties and strengthen supply chains is concrete evidence of the UK’s commitment to the region.

On climate change they discussed India’s work towards a new Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and ambitious targets on renewable energy by 2030. They also agreed on the importance of collaboration on technology, finance, clean energy and transport, and adaptation and resilience.

On Afghanistan, the Foreign Secretary shared with Dr Jaishankar the UK’s priorities including safe passage out of Afghanistan; meeting humanitarian needs; counter-terrorism; regional stability; and protecting human rights.