UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has concluded her landmark visit to India and China, emphasising strong engagement with global powers to secure Britain’s prosperity.

Her meetings in New Delhi with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar advanced Vision 2035 cooperation, focusing on maritime security, critical minerals, and resilient supply chains.

Yvette Cooper’s visit underscored the UK’s determination to remain at the centre of international dialogue. She stressed that Britain cannot isolate itself from global challenges through “cancel culture” in foreign policy, but must instead engage constructively with key interlocutors. This approach, she argued, is essential to deliver growth and security for the British people.

In New Delhi, Cooper drove forward discussions on issues vital to UK prosperity, including maritime security, economic growth, and safeguarding supply chains from global shocks.

Her talks with Prime Minister Modi and External Affairs Minister Jaishankar built upon the strategic direction set under the Vision 2035 framework, which has become the guiding roadmap for India-UK relations.

A major focus was the Strait of Hormuz, where disruptions have severely impacted international shipping. Cooper highlighted the urgent need for joint efforts to ease the consequences of its closure.

To this end, she co-launched the Regional Maritime Security Centre of Excellence (RMSCE), a new institution designed to strengthen UK-India cooperation in maritime security and enhance resilience against global economic shocks. The centre, established under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, will improve maritime domain awareness and collaborative responses to threats at sea.

Critical minerals featured prominently in her engagements. Cooper emphasised that these resources are indispensable for the UK’s prosperity, being vital components in electric vehicles, wind turbines, smartphones, and defence technologies.

During her meeting with India’s Minister for Coal and Mines, G Kishan Reddy, she launched the Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory (GSCO).

This flagship initiative under the UK-India Technology Security Initiative introduces a cutting-edge AI platform that provides real-time data on global mineral flows and identifies vulnerabilities in supply chains.

India committed €1.2 million to establish a satellite observatory campus at the Indian Institute of Technology in Dhanbad, in partnership with the University of Cambridge. This facility will strengthen India’s capabilities in supply chain intelligence and support evidence-based policymaking under the National Critical Mineral Mission.

The GSCO is expected to become a cornerstone of UK-India cooperation, ensuring diversified and resilient supply chains that reduce dependence on single sources.

Cooper’s broader trip also included engagements in China, where she met Vice President Han Zheng and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Discussions there centred on global security, economic stability, and technology cooperation.

She pressed for reopening the Strait of Hormuz without tolls, urged China to end economic support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, and highlighted the importance of coordinated responses to crises such as the conflict in Sudan and the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Her visit to Shenzhen focused on science and technology, where she met leading Chinese tech firms. The UK announced a partnership between Prudential plc and the National Innovation Centre for Ageing to establish healthy ageing hubs across China, reflecting Britain’s interest in expanding cooperation in innovation and healthcare.

The India leg of the visit reinforced the momentum of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the defence industrial roadmap, while also highlighting education as a pillar of cooperation.

The University of Liverpool’s new Bangalore campus, approved during her visit, is set to begin operations next academic year, further deepening people-to-people ties.

Importantly, Cooper’s engagements in India and China demonstrated the UK’s balancing act in Asia, seeking to strengthen ties with major powers while addressing pressing global challenges. Her emphasis on purposeful engagement reflects a strategic recalibration of British foreign policy, positioning the UK as an active player in shaping international security, trade, and technological cooperation.

ANI