On 24^th June, 2022, His Excellency Mr Alex Ellis, British High Commissioner to the Republic of India, visited the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP). Mr Ellis discussed recent initiatives and innovations in India-UK bilateral relations and sensitive issues in international affairs, including the war in Ukraine, with Dr Jaimini Bhagwati who is a Distinguished Fellow at CSEP.

The conversation began with a reference to the 70-year reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the ongoing Platinum Jubilee celebrations in the UK to mark this occasion. The discussion then focussed on the ongoing negotiations between India and the UK on a free trade agreement as also collaboration in specialised areas of defence, digital connectivity and clean air.

Moving on to global affairs, the lives lost in the ongoing war in Ukraine and its sharply negative impact on the global economy were discussed. In this context, Mr Ellis was asked about the urgent need to get Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table and for all countries, including the West, to work towards an early cessation to the armed conflict.

Dr Bhagwati referred to the QUAD grouping (India, US, Japan and Australia) and the Indo-Pacific Economic Forum which has been set up recently. In this context, it was mentioned that the UK is missing from these two groupings. Mr Ellis pointed out that the UK is part of AUKUS (Australia, UK and the US) and that given its colonial history, the UK has experience and interests in the Indo-Pacific region. To wrap-up, Mr Ellis noted that India-UK relations have wider and continuing relevance in regional and global groupings.

Conversation recorded on June 24, 2022

Read the transcript here.

All content reflects the individual views of the speakers. The Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP) does not hold an institutional view on any subject.