New Delhi: Britain and India have reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing counter-terrorism cooperation during talks in New Delhi, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said on Saturday, following heightened tensions between India and Pakistan earlier this year.
Lammy, who met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, is the most senior Western official to visit both India and Pakistan since the two nuclear-armed neighbours agreed to a ceasefire on May 10. The truce followed their worst confrontation in nearly 30 years.
The recent crisis was triggered by the killing of 26 individuals in Indian-administered Kashmir in April, which New Delhi attributed to Pakistan-backed militants — an allegation Islamabad has rejected. India responded with strikes on what it identified as terrorist camps across the border, prompting retaliatory measures from Pakistan before both sides stepped back.
Speaking at the British High Commissioner's residence in New Delhi, Lammy stressed the need to maintain the current peace. “We want this ceasefire to hold, but we are mindful of the fragile context, especially with ongoing threats of terrorism aimed at destabilising India,” he said. “We’re eager to strengthen our cooperation with India on counter-terrorism.”
Though he did not outline specific plans, Lammy confirmed that the matter was discussed during meetings with Indian officials. The UK and India have previously held talks on disrupting terror financing, improving cooperation between law enforcement agencies, and enhancing intelligence sharing.
Lammy also highlighted bilateral trade as another priority, noting that the two countries had recently concluded negotiations for a free trade agreement. “Prime Minister Keir Starmer is very keen to visit India soon to sign the trade pact,” he added. “There’s tremendous potential for our two nations to work even more closely together.”
India and Britain, respectively the world’s fifth- and sixth-largest economies, have been pursuing deeper strategic and economic ties in recent years.
