UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy arrived here on Wednesday morning on a two-day visit to India in the first high-level discussion between the two countries after the formation of the Keir Starmer-led Labour government in London.

“Warm welcome to UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy as he arrives in New Delhi on his first official visit since the assumption of office. The visit will strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries and will make the ‘living bridge’ between India and the UK stronger,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a social media post on X.

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Economic, domestic, and global security will be at the heart of the UK Foreign Secretary’s first visit to India, the British High Commission said.

Mr Lammy is expected to push for a reset of the UK-India partnership including through reinforcing the UK’s commitment to securing a Free Trade Agreement that will benefit both economies.

He will tell his Indian counterpart that he wants to drive forward greater growth for both countries.

“India is the emerging superpower of the 21st century, the largest country in the world with 1.4 billion people and one of the fastest growing economies in the world,” Mr Lammy said in a statement. He said the FTA negotiations is the ”floor not the ceiling of our ambitions to unlock our shared potential and deliver growth, from Bengaluru to Birmingham.”

The Foreign Secretary will underscore the importance of the Living Bridge between the UK and India. It represents the 1.7 million people with Indian heritage who have made their home in the UK and make an exceptional contribution to British life.

On his visit to India’s third largest technology company, he will meet business leaders to highlight how the UK and India are working together on shared ambitions such as cutting-edge science to encourage innovation, boost trade, and improve the livelihoods of working people in both countries.

The Foreign Secretary will also hold high-level talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on a range of bilateral issues as well as global developments.