Britain's Minister for the Indo-Pacific Catherine West.
Credit: Reuters Photo
London: Britain's Minister for the Indo-Pacific Catherine West, who just visited New Delhi, which has been struggling with poor air quality in recent weeks, has highlighted the scope of sharing best practices between the two countries to move towards a cleaner climate.
West, who was in India last week for a visit covering aspects such as climate, technology, health, education and development, welcomed the announcement by Prime Ministers Keir Starmer and Narendra Modi of the relaunch of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations in the new year.
"We have consistently said that we see an FTA as the floor and not the ceiling of our ambitions," West said in her keynote address at the second annual Indo-Pacific Conference in London on Monday.
The minister noted that as the world's most populous country, India has a “unique opportunity” to help shift the dial and lead progress on climate and sustainable development.
"When I visited India last week, everyone shared this enthusiasm for mutual collaboration and tackling global problems together. From exciting higher education opportunities to cooperation on clean power and climate change," she said.
"My visit also coincided, of course, as people will have read in the papers, with the season where Delhi’s air quality is somewhat difficult to see others in front of you. But having come from a city in London where we have also had similar problems, there are lots of things we can do together to share best practice and move towards a cleaner climate,” she noted.
With reference to the theme of the conference, organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) think-tank and co-hosted by the High Commissions of India, Australia and Singapore, West highlighted that both India and the UK share a “deep and enduring commitment” to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
“The UK is pleased to be co-leading the Maritime Security Pillar of India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative. And our naval interactions, following visits by Royal Navy ships and INS Tabar have established a firm basis for joint work in the region. There is significant potential for much closer defence collaboration over the coming years,” she said.
The conference explored the geostrategic and economic imperatives of engaging with the Indo-Pacific, the evolving military and defence dynamics critical to ensuring collective security interests, and the pressing challenges of climate change and environmental security.
"Our inaugural Indo-Pacific Conference last year underscored the growing resonance in the UK of this vital region's significance to global security and growth. Developments since then have only further underlined the interdependence of the Indo Pacific and Euro Atlantic regions. Therefore, this year’s conference is, in our view, a timely opportunity to explore these linkages and consider our collective strengths and challenges,” said Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami.
“The conference gives us a further opportunity to emphasise that we share a vision of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, with mutually beneficial cooperation underpinned by international law and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations. We see this dynamic region not as a theatre of rivalry but as a potential super-connector for global cooperation,” he said.
Rahul Roy-Chaudhury, IISS Senior Fellow for South and Central Asian Defence, Strategy and Diplomacy, pointed out that the Indo-Pacific Conference has now been elevated to a ministerial-led “Track 1.5” policy-relevant event in London.
"Strong UK ministerial and official participation indicates the commitment of the new Sir Keir Starmer government to deepen partnerships with key countries of the Indo-Pacific region,” he said.