India and the UK have reaffirmed their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the visit of UK Foreign Secretary David Cooper, with both sides reviewing progress under the India-UK Vision 2035 roadmap…reports Asian Lite News Desk
India and the United Kingdom have reaffirmed the strength of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with both countries highlighting progress across a range of sectors during the visit of UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Cooper.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the relationship between the two nations had evolved significantly over the years, developing into a broad and mutually beneficial partnership.
“India and the United Kingdom share a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The historical ties have transformed into a robust, multi-faceted, mutually beneficial relationship over the years. The visit of Foreign Secretary Cooper further strengthens the bilateral relationship,” the ministry said.
During his visit to New Delhi, Cooper called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and held the first annual meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The discussions focused on reviewing progress under the India-UK Vision 2035 framework, which was adopted during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Britain in July 2025.
According to the MEA, the two sides assessed developments across the five key pillars of the Vision 2035 roadmap: Growth, Technology and Innovation, Defence and Security, Climate and Clean Energy, and Education.
“During their meeting, both Ministers reviewed the progress made under all five pillars of India-UK Vision 2035, including Growth, Technology and Innovation, Defence and Security, Climate and Clean Energy, and Education,” the ministry said.
Education emerged as one of the key areas of cooperation during the visit, with both countries agreeing that academic collaboration remains among the most successful elements of the bilateral relationship.
The ministers also expressed support for the early convening of the first Ministerial Dialogue on Education, aimed at deepening cooperation between institutions and expanding opportunities for students and researchers.
A significant development came with the Ministry of Education formally handing over a Letter of Approval to the University of Liverpool to establish a campus in Bengaluru under India’s National Education Policy.
The approval was presented in the presence of Jaishankar, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the UK Foreign Secretary.
“The Liverpool University campus in Bengaluru is expected to begin operations from the next academic year,” the MEA said.
The visit also saw progress in maritime cooperation. An agreement between King’s College London and the National Maritime Foundation was exchanged to establish the Regional Maritime Security Centre for Excellence.
The proposed centre will operate under the Maritime Security pillar of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative and is expected to strengthen research, training and policy cooperation on maritime security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
“The Memorandum of Understanding between King’s College London and the National Maritime Foundation to establish the Regional Maritime Security Centre for Excellence (RMSCE), established under the ‘Maritime Security’ pillar of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), was also exchanged during the visit,” the ministry said.
The MEA said the outcomes of the visit reflected the growing depth of India-UK ties and underscored both countries’ commitment to expanding cooperation across strategic, economic, educational and security sectors as they work towards achieving the objectives outlined in Vision 2035.
