In a significant move to strengthen bilateral ties, the United Kingdom and India have unveiled a groundbreaking Technology Security Initiative aimed at fostering collaboration on critical technologies and boosting economic growth in both nations.

The announcement came during British foreign secretary David Lammy's first visit to India in his current role, where he met with senior Indian government officials, including prime minister Narendra Modi.

The initiative, spearheaded by the national security advisers of both countries, sets out a bold new approach for cooperation in key technological areas such as telecommunications, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, health and biotechnology, advanced materials, and semiconductors. This first-of-its-kind agreement builds upon existing partnerships between British and Indian government bodies, industry leaders, and academic institutions.

During his visit, Lammy emphasised the importance of putting growth at the heart of Britain's foreign policy. "This will mean real action together on the challenges of the future from AI to critical minerals. Together we can unlock mutual growth, boost innovation, jobs and investment," he stated.

The initiative is part of a broader effort to refresh the UK-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, focusing on economic growth, trade, technology, education, culture, and climate cooperation. In addition to the Technology Security Initiative, a new £7-million funding call for future telecoms research was announced by UK Research and Innovation and India's Department of Science and Technology.

British secretary of state for science, Peter Kyle, highlighted the potential benefits of the agreement: "From telecoms and semiconductors to biotechnology and AI, these generation-defining technologies will unlock countless new opportunities and innovations, so we can deliver for working people here and in India as we deepen our long-standing partnership."

Climate change was also a key focus of the discussions, with both countries agreeing to deepen their partnership on climate issues. This includes mobilising finance and unlocking new clean growth opportunities, with a particular emphasis on off-shore wind and green hydrogen development. The UK and India also committed to strengthening their collaboration on forest conservation and building resilient cities for the future.

---