“Ultimately, we both share a deep and enduring commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Catherine West, just back from her inaugural tour of India as UK Foreign Office Minister in charge of the region.
“The UK is pleased to be co-leading the Maritime Security Pillar of India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative; and our naval interactions, following visits by Royal Navy ships and INS Tabar have established a firm basis for joint work in the region. There is significant potential for much closer defence collaboration over the coming years,” she said.
The Labour MP from north London said India was not only the fastest growing G20 economy but also the fastest growing to my heart following her visit to Delhi last week.
She stated: “When they met in Rio, the two Prime Ministers agreed to restart FTA negotiations as soon as possible. We have consistently said that we see an FTA as the floor and not the ceiling of our ambitions.
“When I visited India last week, everyone shared this enthusiasm for mutual collaboration and tackling global problems together. From exciting higher education opportunities to cooperation on clean power and climate change; and can I just say how excited I am about Southampton University, the first university to have its own full campus, fully regulated within all of the guidelines, setting up in Delhi, which is the most vibrant and fantastic city.
“As the world’s most populous country India has a unique opportunity to help shift the dial and lead progress on climate and sustainable development. I was delighted to visit Delhi for two days last week to talk about climate, tech, health, education and development, all on the agenda.”
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West was delivering the keynote address at the second Indo-Pacific Conference in London this week, hosted by the High Commissions of India, Australia and Singapore to the UK in partnership with the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). The conference explored the geostrategic and economic imperatives of engaging with the Indo-Pacific, the evolving military and defence dynamics critical to ensuring collective security interests, and the pressing challenges of climate change and environmental security.
Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami, who opened the conference at India House, said: “Our inaugural Indo-Pacific Conference last year underscored the growing resonance in the UK of this vital region's significance to global security and growth. Developments since then have only further underlined the interdependence of the Indo Pacific and Euro Atlantic regions. Therefore, this year’s conference is, in our view, a timely opportunity to explore these linkages and consider our collective strengths and challenges.
“The conference gives us a further opportunity to emphasise that we share a vision of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, with mutually beneficial cooperation underpinned by international law and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations. We see this dynamic region not as a theatre of rivalry but as a potential super-connector for global cooperation.”
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IISS Senior Fellow for South and Central Asian Defence, Strategy and Diplomacy Rahul Roy-Chaudhury, added: “The IISS is delighted that the second Indo-Pacific Conference has been elevated to a ministerial-led ‘track 1.5’ policy-relevant event in London that brings together senior officials and influential experts from the UK, Australia, India and Singapore.
“Strong UK ministerial and official participation indicates the commitment of the new Sir Keir Starmer government to deepen partnerships with key countries of the Indo-Pacific region.”