The beautiful Lancaster House lobby was buzzing as guests walked around portraits of the UK and Indian Prime Ministers’ recent visits to each other’s countries. Guests walked up the historic stairs into a reception, welcomed to celebrate an outstanding year of UK-India relations and the two Prime Ministerial visits in 2025. It was presided over by the Minister for Indo-Pacific, Seema Malhotra MP. She was joined by Rt Hon David Lammy MP, Deputy Prime Minister, Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor. The event also celebrated the signing of the pivotal UK-India Vision 2035 and a comprehensive Trade Agreement.
The reception was joined by several senior diplomats from UK and India, MPs, Peers, councillors, local mayors, business leaders, and community representatives from both the UK and India. To name a few, it was attended by Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh, Indian High Commissioner His Excellency Vikram Doraiswami, Deputy High Commissioner of India to the UK Kartik Pande, parliamentarians such as Kanishka Narayan MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for AI and Online Safety, Secretary of State for Education and Equalities, Bridget Phillips MP, Skills Minister Jackie Smith MP, Lord Karan Bilimoria, Lord Jitesh Gadhia, former MP Virendra Sharma, actress Meera Syal, celebrity chefs Chetna Makan and Nisha Parmar, Home Cook and Author Mallika Basu, Dr Nandakumara MBE from The Bhavan, Anirban Mukhopadhyay from Heritage Bengal Global (HBG), Suranjan Som, Sourav Niyogi, Koushik Chatterjee from Bengal Heritage Foundation (BHF), Anuj Chande OBE from Grant Thornton, CB Patel from Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar, Shehla Hasan from CII-UK, Param Singh from City Sikhs, Pratik Dattani from EPG, Human Rights activist Mandy Sanghera OBE, Kevin McCole, GEDU Global education to name a few. The Bhavan is currently facing a huge challenge due to parting curbs around their West Kensington premises and are petitioning to the local Council to turn their decision around (see Asian Voice, issue 15-21 Nov 2025, P5).
Addressing the guests, both Seema Malhotra MP and David Lammy MP started their speeches expressing deep sympathy over the recent terrorist attack in Delhi. They conveyed UK’s solidarity with the people of India and condolences to the families of the victims. Seema also paid homage to Lord Swraj Paul, Lord Meghnad Desai and GP Hinduja, who passed away recently, as notable figures who contributed immensely to the UK-India relations, as well as acknowledging their lifelong efforts to strengthen bilateral ties.
The event also witnessed cultural performances including an expressive classical dance performance by students from the Guru Rakesh Yadav Movement, and a musical performance by members of Bengal Heritage Foundation.
A great and transformative year
Indo-Pacific Minister Seema Malhotra, who is due to travel to India on Wednesday 19 November for three days said, “Thank you to all of you from across the UK, from business, from politics, from industry, from media, from education, community organisations, hospitality, for joining us to celebrate an extraordinary year in the UK India partnership. I'm also really delighted to welcome the Indian High Commissioner, Vikram Doraiswami tonight…and I'm also grateful to the High Commissioner for all he has done to support negotiations on the journey of last year with the Trade Agreement with India - now a strength and foundation for our partnership for the future.
“I am proud that since we came into government, we have focused on stabilising our economy, on building the foundations for long term decisions and loosening the confidence of investors. I'm proud about how on to our prime minister, Keir Starmer, we have once again become an outward facing nation, a nation that stands tall on an international stage, promoting prosperity and security and working together to tackle the crucial challenges of today like climate change, that choice to rebuild trust and relationships with other nations has led to us resetting our relationship with the European Union, the trade deal with the United States, and in July at the Chequers, with Prime Minister Starmer and Prime Minister Modi, the signing of UK-India Vision 2035, and comprehensive economic and Trade Agreement.
“It is a deal that is built on trust and ambition for each other's nations, and it is hugely important in our economic partnership.
“The Prime Minister's recent visit to Mumbai was supported by one of the largest UK delegations in years, showing the scale and ambition of our partnership with many of you here tonight having joined the visit…
“Our country's partnership is often described as a unique living bridge, and I think that it is a special bridge of shared knowledge, mutual respect and the incredible contributions the Indian communities to our economy, our society and our culture.
“Let tonight be a celebration of what we've achieved, but also an opportunity to strengthen networks and build new connections, to strengthen the friendship between our nations of which each one of you is a part, and to create from the choices we make today a path for success for future generations.”
“Our joint story is so very far from over”
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy addressing the guests, “We have much to celebrate this evening, and it’s fantastic to see you all here. India is one of the UK’s most important partners. So much so, that I made sure it was one of the very first countries that I visited, within weeks of becoming Foreign Secretary last year. And it was one of my very last visits too.
“It was a great honour to meet with Prime Minister Modi to discuss our shared history and shared future. And what a future India has. It is the emerging superpower of the 21st century with the fastest growth in the G20, and on course to become the third largest economy in the world by the end of the decade.
“But while I was there, I also saw what so many other Brits have seen before me. A country so different in so many ways, but also so familiar. Because scratch the surface, and you find so much that unites us. Two vibrant democracies of passionate people. Two economies fizzing with ideas and potential. Two nations, determined to build on the past and deliver a better future. Our joint story is so very far from over. And what we have achieved so far is only the start of what we can do together.
Speaking about the Trade Agreement between UK and India, the Deputy Prime Minister went on to say, “Our Trade Agreement will deepen our historic ties and strengthen our economic partnership. Not least, thanks to our common interests in the green transition, in harnessing new technologies and in strengthening economic and global security.
“From Bengaluru to Birmingham, we are unlocking potential and delivering growth. And both our countries have already started to reap the benefits of this agreement, thanks to many of you in this room.
“The Prime Minister's most recent visit resulted in £1.3 billion of investment into the UK and £3.6 billion into India, while unlocking 10,600 new jobs.
“It’s a clear win-win, and a demonstration of the strength and promise of our partnership. And thank you to the Government of India for the warm welcome they extended to my colleague, the Prime Minister, and the entire delegation.
“I’m happy to see some of those businesses represented here tonight. I’m also pleased to be continuing to support our partnership in my new role as Deputy Prime Minister but also as Lord Chancellor, and Secretary of State for Justice.
“Just last week, Sir Geoffrey Vos, one of our most senior judges led a judicial delegation at the Standing International Forum of Commercial Courts in Delhi. The meeting paved the way for further collaboration under the Memorandum of Understanding between our justice ministries. I look forward to continuing to work together.”
Speaking about Vision 2035, he added, “As Minister Malhotra rightly said, Vision 2035 and our trade deal marks a new chapter, one that reflects the importance of our partnership, not just economically, but in securing a safer, more prosperous future for both our countries. Trade between us is already worth more than £40 billion. We are already collaborating on the defining technologies of this decade through our Technology Security Initiative. And we are already working closer than ever before to tackle climate change, this century’s most serious threat. But this is just the beginning. We have so much more to do, and to achieve, together.”
