India, UK Unveil Initiative for Tech Security and Strategic Collaboration

India and the UK have launched a significant technology security initiative aimed at enhancing collaboration in critical sectors such as minerals, clean energy, telecommunications, semiconductors, and emerging technologies. This initiative was announced after extensive discussions between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

The new Technology Security Initiative (TSI) aims to elevate the strategic partnership between India and the UK. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the TSI will be coordinated by the National Security Advisors (NSAs) of both countries through existing and new dialogues. The initiative focuses on critical and emerging technologies across priority sectors.

Focus on Critical Technologies

Under the TSI, India and the UK will collaborate on telecommunications, critical minerals, semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology, biotechnology, healthtech, and advanced materials. The MEA highlighted that the two countries will build a new telecoms partnership to collaborate on joint research focused on Open RAN systems, telecom security, and spectrum innovation.

The TSI also includes a framework for a broad UK-India semiconductor partnership. This partnership aims to leverage each other's strengths and explore mutually beneficial research and development as well as supply chain resilience. Additionally, both nations will work together to improve supply chain resilience in the critical minerals sector.

Trade and Defence Cooperation

During their talks, Jaishankar and Lammy discussed galvanising negotiations for a free trade pact. They also focused on enhancing cooperation in trade, defence and security, clean energy, digital domain, and mobility of people. The Indian side raised concerns about pro-Khalistan activities in the UK, while the British side brought up the issue of Christian Michel, a key accused in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case.

Lammy's visit to India marks the first high-level engagement between India and the UK since Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government took office on July 5. He also held separate talks with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. The major highlight of Lammy's engagements was the unveiling of the TSI.

Prime Ministers' Commitment

The prime ministers of India and the UK are committed to launching this new initiative to elevate their strategic partnership. The MEA said that this first-of-its-kind agreement builds on a series of partnerships between the British and Indian governments, industry, and academia. It aims to harness the collective potential of UK-Indian critical technologies.

The British readout mentioned that a new £7 million funding call for future telecoms research was announced by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and India's Department of Science and Technology. This funding aims to boost innovation in future telecoms research.

Economic Growth at Heart

"This government will put growth at the heart of our foreign policy," Lammy said. "That's why three weeks into the job, I am in Delhi announcing a new Technology Security Initiative to deliver on the promise of the UK-India relationship." He added that this initiative would mean real action together on future challenges from AI to critical minerals.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Jaishankar described his talks with Lammy as productive and engaging. He noted the immense potential to advance the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in various areas including trade & economy, defence & security, education, IT, digital space & high tech, culture, mobility, and people-to-people ties.

Jaishankar welcomed the launch of the TSI as it opens new avenues for collaboration. He also exchanged perspectives with Lammy on regional and global issues as well as cooperation in multilateral forums. In his opening remarks at their meeting, Jaishankar emphasised that realising the enormous possibilities in India-UK relations is a significant task ahead.

In 2021, India and the UK adopted a 10-year roadmap to expand ties in key areas such as trade and economy, defence and security, climate change, and people-to-people connections among others. This roadmap aims to broad-base their relationship across various sectors.

The discussions between Jaishankar and Lammy reviewed the implementation of this roadmap. They explored how both countries can work together on global issues and platforms given their significant global presence.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed India's commitment to elevating its ties with the UK during his meeting with Lammy. Modi welcomed the desire to conclude a mutually beneficial free trade pact between both nations.

This comprehensive approach sets out how India and the UK will work together on defining technologies of this decade including telecoms, critical minerals, AI, quantum technology, health/bio tech, advanced materials, and semiconductors.