Manila, July 23 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar met new UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband in Manila on Thursday, where the two leaders discussed deepening bilateral ties following the implementation of the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
Both sides also reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
Sharing the details of the meeting, EAM Jaishankar took to X and posted: “First meeting with Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband of the UK in Manila, Philippines. Congratulated him on his appointment. Agreed to build on the positive momentum generated through the recent India-UK FTA implementation, and work towards strengthening our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”
On Tuesday, EAM Jaishankar had congratulated Miliband on his appointment as the UK Foreign Secretary while emphasising that he is looking forward to working together with him to advance cooperation between India and the United Kingdom.
“Congratulate Ed Miliband on his appointment as UK Foreign Secretary. The India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has witnessed a strong momentum in recent years, including the entry into force of CETA. Look forward to working together to advance our cooperation,” EAM posted on X.
Elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Doncaster North in May 2005, Miliband was appointed as UK’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on Monday. He was previously Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero between July 2024 and July 2026.
On the same day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Andy Burnham on assuming office as the PM of the United Kingdom, saying India and the UK would continue to strengthen their partnership across key areas including trade, investment, technology and defence.
In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi said: “Warmest congratulations to Mr. Andy Burnham on assuming office as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. India and the UK are bound by shared democratic values and enjoy wide-ranging cooperation across trade, investment, technology, defence and people-to-people relations. With CETA entering into force this month, our bilateral partnership is poised to grow even stronger.
“I look forward to working closely with you to further deepen the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and advance our shared Vision 2035,” PM Modi added.
Burnham, former Mayor of Greater Manchester, took charge as the Prime Minister after Keir Starmer formally stepped down, in accordance with established procedure.
Earlier this month, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced that the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) has come into force under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling it a defining milestone in bilateral ties.
In a post on X, the minister said the India-UK CETA, along with the Agreement on Social Security has become operational on July 15, providing zero-duty market access for nearly 99 per cent of India’s exports and covering almost 100 per cent of the trade value.
“Today marks a defining milestone in India-UK ties. Under the dynamic leadership of PM Modi, the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Agreement on Social Security have come into force,” Goyal said.
Welcoming the development, PM Modi described the coming into force of the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the accompanying Agreement on Social Security as a “significant moment” in bilateral ties.
He said the landmark pacts would deepen economic engagement and create new opportunities for businesses, workers and investors in both countries.
Sharing a post by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on X, the Prime Minister said, “This is a significant moment in the India-United Kingdom partnership. With the coming into force of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Agreement on Social Security, our economic linkages are going to get even deeper.”
–IANS
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