The Labour party has had a rocky relationship with India in the past. Past Prime Ministers such as Clement Attlee have been criticized for allowing partition to be rushed at the cost of human life, and Former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook caused a storm with his offer of mediation between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir dispute. Furthermore, Labour came under fire in India when they passed a motion in support of international intervention in the disputed region. In this context, Foreign Secretary David Lammy stepped onto the warm and damp streets of New Delhi, representing the UK at the highest level possible, in an attempt to cement relations between the two countries.
Despite the cautious nature of his visit and uncontroversial announcements, Mr. Lammy successfully held talks with his Indian counterpart, and earned himself a prized meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi- who rarely makes time for mere foreign ministers. For Labour, the primary focus was on trade between the two countries. While India is predicted to become the world’s third-largest economy by the end of the decade, it remains only the UK’s 12th largest trading partner. If Britain truly wishes to grow its economy, it will have to increase business ventures within India.
Mr. Lammy was optimistic about the potential for an agreement on a new free trade deal “in the coming months,” despite elections on both sides causing hiccups during negotiations this year. The politician also mentioned that this trip was not just about economic agendas, but also broader geopolitics. Mr. Lammy wishes to “reset” Britain’s relationship with the so-called Global South, and India is a key player in this group of developing nations. This involves less lecturing by Britain and more listening, focusing on tackling shared interests around important issues like green technology and shared threats in the Indo-Pacific.
Indian ministers welcomed the visit as an opportunity to invest in the British government, who they anticipate will remain in power for some time. A trade agreement between the two countries is essential for India, hoping it will force the UK to relax its visa regime for Indian students and business professionals. Labour was well aware of the fact that India had just lost in Rishi Sunak a British Prime Minister of Asian origin with close family links to the country, hence Labour hopes to fix the gap quickly.
In sum, the visit of Foreign Secretary David Lammy was an opportunity for both British and Indian government officials to form stronger ties with one another. It was an initiative from Lammy to try to repair relations between India and the UK at the highest level of representation. Though cautious in nature, this trip was an ambitious diplomatic maneuver, marking a start to the UK “resetting” its relationship with developing nations and a realignment in their foreign policy
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