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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met together with his British colleague Grant Shapps on Tuesday and had “fruitful discussions” on a wide range of issues regarding defence collaboration, safety, and growing defence industrial cooperation. Singh’s go to comes 22 years after the earlier go to by an Indian army minister to the UK, in January 2002. Taking to X, he acknowledged: “Had a superb assembly with UK Defence Minister, Mr. Grant Shapps. We reviewed the complete vary of India-UK defence relations. We had fruitful discussions on a variety of points pertaining to defence cooperation, safety and in addition on enhancing defence industrial cooperation.”
Had a superb assembly with UK Defence Minister, Mr. Grant Shapps. We reviewed the complete vary of India-UK defence relations. We had fruitful discussions on a variety of points pertaining to defence cooperation, safety and in addition on enhancing defence industrial cooperation. pic.twitter.com/fzJqhm6PcX
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) January 9, 2024
Shapps emphasised that the connection between the UK and India will not be transactional, however moderately that each nations are pure companions with quite a few similarities and shared goals, in response to the Union Ministry of Defence, who hailed the assembly as “very heat” and helpful change of concepts, PTI reported.
Singh praised the 2 nations’ rising strategic convergence, notably within the Indo-Pacific area.
Following the bilateral assembly, two agreements had been signed: an MoU on the conduct of a bilateral worldwide cadet change programme, and a Letter of Association on defence collaboration in analysis and improvement between the Defence Analysis and Improvement Organisation (DRDO) and the UK’s Defence Science and Know-how Laboratory (DSTL). In accordance with the ministry, these agreements would increase people-to-people interactions, notably amongst youth, in addition to larger areas of army analysis collaboration between the 2 nations.
Shapps acquired Singh with a proper Guard of Honour welcome within the coronary heart of Whitehall, the UK authorities headquarters, earlier than inviting him to view the distinctive march in Hindi. The British Military’s Quantity 7 Firm Coldstream Guards and the Band of the Irish Guards marched of their regimental colors, with 48 rank and file personnel dressed of their regimental colors.
“On the request of the UK Secretary of State for Defence, The Proper Honourable Grant Shapps, Quantity 7 Firm Coldstream Guards, immaculate of their athol gray greatcoats and black bearskin caps, introduced a Guard of Honour on Horse Guards Parade for Rajnath Singh,” a press release issued by UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) was quoted by PTI in its report.
“The Captain of the Guard, Captain Zacharias Faja, invited the Indian Defence Minister to examine the Guard of Honour in Hindi, exhibiting the last word respect to the esteemed customer,” the assertion reads.
The regiments represented on iconic parade grounds had been among the many most historic within the British Military and have a popularity for twin position excellence in fight operations and ceremonial duties for almost 400 years, framed by the Previous Admiralty constructing on one aspect, No. 10 Downing Road on the opposite, and with a transparent view of Buckingham Palace.
“India is an equal companion for the UK, and that friendship is very valued, as right this moment’s Guard of Honour testifies,” the MoD stated.
“India and the UK are dedicated to a partnership that delivers for each international locations. That shared imaginative and prescient is for revitalised and dynamic connections between our individuals; re-energised commerce, funding and technological collaboration that improves the lives and livelihoods of our residents; enhanced defence and safety cooperation that brings a safer Indian Ocean Area and Indo-Pacific and India-UK management in local weather, clear vitality and well being that acts as a worldwide power for good,” it stated.
The international locations are collaborating by the Defence Consultative Group on a “new, bold” Strategic Collaborative Partnership on analysis, innovation, expertise, and business to develop transformational defence and safety capabilities to handle widespread threats and operational challenges sooner or later, in response to the ministry.
“Visits like this assist to extend understanding about our shared army capabilities, aims and priorities, all of that are very important for a stronger UK-India strategic partnership,” it added.
Earlier, Singh started his UK journey by paying a go to to Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in downtown London’s Tavistock Sq..
Singh paid floral respects to the Father of the Nation on the memorial, which dates again to the 20 th century, accompanied by Indian Excessive Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami and members of his entourage.
Paid homage to Pujya Bapu at his statue in Tavistock, London. pic.twitter.com/LP5vvfnOEy
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) January 9, 2024
The famend Gandhi in meditation stance sculpture is the situation of yearly Gandhi Jayanti and Martyr’s Day commemorations by members of the Indian diaspora, a few of whom had congregated within the space to have interaction with the minister.
“Ninth January is a symbolic date from the attitude of Mahatma Gandhi’s return from South Africa to Mumbai in 1915, which is commemorated within the type of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in India, marking the wealthy contribution of the Abroad Indian neighborhood in direction of the event of the nation,” famous the Indian Ministry of Defence.
Later that day, Singh paid honours to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the Dalit rights fighter and architect of the Indian Structure, on the Ambedkar Museum in north London earlier than praying on the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple, also referred to as the Neasden Temple in London.
Singh landed in London on Monday evening, accompanied by a Ministry of Defence group comprising high officers from DRDO, Service Headquarters, the Division of Defence, and the Division of Defence Manufacturing, for a three-day go to. Along with assembly with Shapps, he’s scheduled to satisfy with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Overseas Secretary David Cameron.
The Raksha Mantri can even meet with defence sector leaders at a roundtable dialogue and later meet with members of the Indian neighborhood at a reception hosted by the Indian Excessive Fee in London earlier than returning early on Thursday.
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