The 2021 version of naval exercise between India and the UK could be the most complex and sophisticated one yet, British High Commissioner Sir Dominic Asquith said on Friday, highlighting deepening bilateral defence ties.
He also said a liaison officer of the UK will be posted in Indian Navy''s information fusion centre in Gurgaon as part of efforts to boost maritime cooperation.
The high commissioner said the UK''s civil service head of the Ministry of Defence and a Homeland Security Trade Mission led by Director of the UK Defence and Security Organisation will visit India this month.
The British diplomat told reporters that UK-India talks at the defence equipment sub-group will also take place next month.
"The 2021 version of our bilateral Navy exercise (Konkan 21) could be the most complex and sophisticated yet," he said.
The high commissioner also highlighted growing cooperation between the two countries over a range of areas including trade and investment, education, climate change and health.
"The UK and India have been top five investors in each other''s economies since 2010, and India invests more in the UK then the rest of the EU combined," he said.
Asquith said the two countries are also expanding cooperation in the field of climate change and environment protection.
"The UK is nominated to host the COP26, in partnership with Italy, in Glasgow in 2020 and is the first major economy to make legal commitment to net zero emissions by 2050," he said.
The annual conference of parties (COP) of the United Nations has been the key platform to formulate policies to deal with issues relating to climate change.
Clifford had previously denied killing Carol Hunt, 61, the wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters, Louise Hunt, 25, and Hannah Hunt, 28. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads guilty to crossbow murders of BBC presenter’s family
A 26-YEAR-OLD man on Wednesday pleaded guilty to murdering two daughters of a BBC sports commentator and stabbing to death their mother in a crossbow attack.
Kyle Clifford had previously denied killing Carol Hunt, 61, the wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters, Louise Hunt, 25, and Hannah Hunt, 28.
However, appearing via video link at Cambridge Crown Court in eastern England, Clifford changed his pleas.
The court heard that Clifford tied up Louise Hunt, his former partner, binding her arms and ankles with duct tape before shooting her in the chest with a crossbow at the family home last July.
He pleaded guilty to three counts of murder, one count of false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons. However, Clifford denied raping Louise.
The murders took place at the family home in the commuter town of Bushey, near Watford, northwest of London.
Clifford was arrested in July following a manhunt after the bodies of the three women were discovered.
(With inputs from AFP)