The dialogue took place as the two sides explore the possibility of a visit by the British Prime Minister to India
New Delhi:
At the inaugural ‘2+2’ foreign and defense dialogue between India and Britain on Monday, the two sides focused on ways to boost cooperation in a range of key areas such as trade and investment, defence, critical technologies, civil aviation, healthcare and energy.
During the high-official-level dialogue, the two sides also discussed international developments, including in the Indo-Pacific region, and considered the possibility of strengthening counter-terrorism cooperation, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said .
The 2+2 Dialogue at the Senior Officials Level is a mechanism to discuss and review all aspects of the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The dialogue took place as the two sides explore the possibility of a visit to India by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak later this month.
The MEA said the two sides discussed “opportunities for further cooperation, especially in the areas of trade and investment, defence, critical and emerging technologies, civil aviation, healthcare, energy, culture and strengthening people-to-people connection.”
“The officials had the opportunity to exchange assessments on recent international developments, including in the Indo-Pacific region, given their shared vision for peace, stability and prosperity and for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region,” said the ministry in a statement. rack.
“They also considered the possibility of strengthening cooperation in the areas of counter-terrorism, HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief) and maritime security,” it added.
The India-Britain relationship was elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership during the India-Britain Virtual Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his then British counterpart Boris Johnson in May 2021.
During the summit, the two sides adopted a 10-year roadmap to expand ties in key areas of trade and economy, defense and security, climate change and people-to-people connections, among others.
The Indian delegation to the dialogue was co-chaired by Piyush Srivastava, Joint Secretary (Europe West) at the MEA, and Vishwesh Negi, Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) at the Ministry of Defence.
The British delegation was co-chaired by Ben Mellor, India Director at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Indian Ocean Directorate and Lieutenant General Rob Magowan, Deputy Chief of Defense Staff, Finance and Military Capability at the UK Ministry of Defence. Defense.
“Both delegations expressed satisfaction over the regular high-level political exchanges and interactions that have given direction and momentum to the multifaceted ties between India and Britain,” the MEA said.
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