UK PM Keir Starmer meets EAM S Jaishankar to speed up FTA talks

External affairs minister S Jaishankar is understood to have discussed with British prime minister Keir Starmer giving fresh thrust to a proposed free trade agreement amid the relaunch of negotiations for a trade deal between the two countries.

Ahead of his meeting with Starmer in London, Jaishankar held talks with UK business and trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds on the progress in FTA negotiations.

India and the UK officially relaunched talks for FTA, aimed at enhancing the current 41 billion pounds annual bilateral trade partnership, during the UK minister's visit to New Delhi last month.


During his meeting with Jaishankar, Starmer also shared UK's perspective on the Russia-Ukraine conflict days after the UK held a meeting of EU member states to finalise plans to back Kyiv financially and militarily. Several European states, including Italy are, however, unwilling to put boots on the ground in Ukraine.

Interestingly, Jaishankar's visit to the UK coincided with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's announcement of his intention for a truce with Russia. US President Donald Trump said he has received a letter from Zelensky agreeing to "come to the negotiating table" to strike a peace deal in Ukraine. "I appreciate that he sent this letter," Trump said during his address to a joint session of the US Congress.

Trump also said there had been "serious discussions" with Russia and that he had "received strong signals that they are ready for peace". Starting Wednesday, the US has paused all military supplies to Ukraine. India has been one of the strongest advocates of peace and has repeatedly called for dialogue and diplomacy to end the Ukraine war.

Meanwhile, two new Indian consulates are opening in the UK's Belfast and Manchester, boosting regional economic ties and delivering on the growth agenda.

Jaishankar also met with UK foreign secretary David Lammy at Chevening House. At Chevening, the two ministers drove forward the UK-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This focuses on fostering mutual economic growth, technological innovation, and collaboration on global challenges including climate change, according to a UK government readout.

The two ministers also discussed the Technology Security Initiative, launched in July 2024, for closer collaboration in sectors such as Artificial Intelligence, telecoms and critical minerals.