PM Modi-Johnson agrees to enhance UK-India defence ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Boris Johnson had substantive discussions on the entire gamut of bilateral ties and exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest during the India UK Virtual Summit.Briefing media in virtual mode after the meeting, Joint Secretary, Europe West, Sandeep Chakravorty on Monday said, the first big deliverable of the meeting was the launch of Roadmap 2030.  In line with their vision to achieve a transformational change in bilateral cooperation, both leaders adopted the ambitious Roadmap 2030 to elevate India-UK partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. 
The Roadmap will pave the way for a deeper and stronger engagement over the next ten years. The Roadmap lists a number of concrete, forward looking and outcome-oriented activities that both sides have agreed to pursue in five keys areas.These areas are people to people contacts, trade and economy, defence and security, climate action and health. The Joint Secretary said, another big ticket announcement of the Summit was the declaration of enhanced trade partnership. The two way trade between India and UK in 2019-20 was 15.4 billion dollars.He said, the figures do not reflect the true potential of trade between India and UK. 
Moreover, Brexit has provided tremendous new opportunities for both countries.To seize them and unlock the true potential, the two leaders announced their intent to negotiate a comprehensive and balanced FTA including consideration of an Interim Trade Agreement for delivering early gains. The ambition is to more than double the bilateral trade by 2030.Both leaders have also agreed on an early market access package.Under this UK will open up the fisheries sector for more Indian players, facilitate more opportunities for nurses, recognise Indian seafarers certificates and also enter into a joint dialogue on the Social Security Agreement. 
In return, India has agreed to UK's asks on fruits, medical devices, and mutual recognition of masters degrees and also work towards reciprocal opening of legal services.The two leaders also discussed the global pandemic situation and ongoing cooperation in the fight against it.Prime Minister Modi thanked Prime Minister Johnson for the prompt medical assistance provided by the UK in the wake of severe second wave in India.UK was one of the first to respond, sending critical medical equipment including Oxygen concentrators, cylinders, ventilators, and oxygen plants. 
The successful vaccine partnership through the Oxford-AstraZaneca-SII collaboration was highlighted.They agreed to expand partnership on vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics on COVID19 and beyond through joint research including on nasal vaccines, regulatory and clinical trial cooperation. An MoU announcing the launch of a new India-UK Global Innovation Partnership was signed at the Virtual Summit. Another MoU on Migration and Mobility Partnership was also signed.