Viewpoint
- Shares a deep and multifaceted relationship that spans over centuries, rooted in historical, economic, and cultural connections.
- The UK played a significant role in India’s colonial period, and since India’s independence in 1947, the relationship has transformed from one of colonial legacy to a dynamic and strategic partnership.
Areas of Cooperation
- Political Relations
- Strategic Partnership in 2004
- Joint Declaration titled ‘India-UK: towards a new and dynamic partnership’
- ‘Enhanced Partnership for the Future’ in 2010.
- The UK supports India’s proposal for permanent membership of the UNSC and is also an important interlocutor for India in the EU, G8 and G20.
- The Parliaments of India and the UK enjoy traditionally close relations.
- Both are members, such as the Commonwealth of Nations, the World Trade Organization and the Asian Development Bank.
- The India-UK Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Dialogue.
- The India-UK JWG on Counter Terrorism condemns terrorism in all its forms.
- Defence Relations
- In 2015, the Defence and International Security Partnership framework.
- Exercise Ajeya Warrior (army-to-army biennial exercise), Konakan (joint navy-to-navy annual exercise) and Indradhanush (joint air-to-air exercise).
- Maritime Cooperation: UK is deploying Carrier Strike Group in the Indian Ocean region this year in line with its strategic tilt to the Indo-Pacific.
- The UK has officially joined the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) based in Gurugram.
- Bilateral Defence Consultative Group (DCG) meeting since 1995.
- Economic Relations
- Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) in 2005 to tackle trade and investment barriers on both sides and promote business links.
- In 2021, total trade between India and the UK amounted to USD 13.11 Billion.
- India is the UK’s 15th largest trading partner, and the UK is India’s 18th largest trading partner.
- Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) meeting of 2020 agreed to remove barriers to trade as part of a roadmap to a Free Trade Agreement.
- Nuclear Cooperation
- Civil Nuclear Cooperation Declaration in 2010 for promotion and facilitation of cooperation in the nuclear field.
- In 2015 Nuclear Collaboration Agreement between the two countries as part of a comprehensive package of collaboration on energy and climate change.
- Education
- Science and Technology Agreement in 1996.
- In 2006 the setting up of the ‘Science and Innovation Council.
- In 2010 India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI).
- Around 50000 Indian students are currently studying in the UK.
- Climate and Environment
- Joint Working Groups on Climate, Power and Renewables.
- India-UK Green Growth Equity Fund
- Launch of GGI-OSOWOG Initiative & One Sun Declaration
- Health
- The Joint Working Group on Health and Life Sciences.
- The successful partnership between Oxford University, AstraZeneca and Serum Institute of India on Covid19 vaccine.
- The two sides are also working on pandemic preparedness, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Zoonotic research, non-communicable diseases, digital health, Ayurveda and alternative medicines, as well as health worker mobility.
- Ayuryoga programme to raise awareness of Ayurveda and Yoga in the UK.
- Culture and Other Areas
- Memorandum of Understanding on Cultural Cooperation in 2010.
- The Nehru Centre (TNC) London, is the cultural outreach of the High Commission of India in the United Kingdom.
- UK India Year of Culture in 2017 at Buckingham Palace.
- Cricket and Bollywood.
Challenges in India – UK Relations
- Trade barriers and the Brexit deal of the UK.
- UK and India have sometimes diverged positions towards China in IOR.
- China’s growing influence in the region, including its investments in ports through the Belt and Road Infrastructure Initiative (BRI).
- The UK’s ties with Pakistan.
- Colonial Prism: Anti-colonial resentment against Britain.
- Bitter legacies of the Partition and Britain’s perceived tilt to Pakistan.
- Khalistan tendencies among UK Indian Diaspora.
- Lack of G2G Framework: The UK does not have a government-to-government framework for arms sales to India.