UK working closely with India on defence, security: Truss

While indicating that the UK may be planning a longer-term presence in the Indian Ocean region, visiting British foreign secretary Liz Truss said that the two countries are working together with “more military exercises and cooperation between our services”.
Indian government sources said that both sides are working towards deepening their defence and security relationships, particularly in the Indian Ocean region. The UK already maintains a base in Bahrain and is keen to partner with India in the region, Truss said. Finishing her official meetings in Delhi, Truss travelled to Mumbai to board the UK carrier QE2 at Mumbai port. According to the British high commission’s official readout, Truss is expected to continue discussions on “developing innovative security and defence tech with the Indian government. The foreign secretary sees developing this security and defence relationship with India, the world’s largest democracy, as a key part of the UK’s Indo-Pacific tilt. She wants to strengthen such links with fast growing economies and like-minded partners in the region and build ‘a network of liberty’ around the globe. The foreign secretary sees India as essential in ensuring a free, open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” the release said. Reviewing her meetings, Truss said the focus of the bilateral relationship is on trade, technology and security. India and the UK are in the process of getting an early-harvest trade deal, though there are as yet no timelines for closing the negotiations. Technology, however, is the key driver of the UK-India relationship now, she emphasised. “India is third largest in the world in startups and the UK is third largest in unicorns. We have a great opportunity,” she said.
Liz met Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s son Aditya Thackeray. She also laid a wreath at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai in remembrance of those whose lives were taken in the 2008 terrorist attack.
High Commissioner Gaitri Issar Kumar also accompanied Truss to India during this visit.