BAGGY SHANKER MP, co-chair of the India All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), has said the UK-India relationship is continuing to grow through shared values, economic ties and people-to-people connections.
His comments came as he welcomed parliamentarians, business leaders and community representatives to mark the UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) at an India APPG event at the House of Commons last Thursday (25).
The event was supported by the 1928 Institute and the UK India Business Council.
Shanker, MP for Derby South, who recently assumed the role of a private parliamentary secretary to the Ministry of Defence, said India had a special place in his family’s history. He recalled how his parents settled in Derby in the 1950s.
“Though I was born and raised here in the UK and am now an MP, India has always held a special place in my heart and my family’s heart,” the MP said.
He highlighted the contribution of people of Indian heritage to British society.
“There are around two million people of Indian heritage calling the UK home, and that is reflected across all four nations of the UK,” he said.
“Our free trade agreement is a brilliant milestone in that partnership, cementing the relationship between our two countries and marking the biggest trade deal of its size ever done by India,” he said.
The FTA would “create jobs and opportunities, boost investment and unlock economic growth across both countries”, the MP added.
India’s deputy high commissioner to the UK, Kartik Pande, said the strength of the relationship came from more than just government cooperation.
“The India-UK relationship is not sustained by government alone, but is enriched by parliamentarians, businesses, universities, cultural institutions, and above all, the people who connect our nations every day,” he said.
Pande said recent developments, including the India-UK Vision 2035 and cooperation in technology, education and innovation, had given fresh momentum to ties.
“The jewel in the crown – the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) – marks a transformative milestone,” the deputy high commissioner said.
He said the agreement, which is due to enter into force on July 15, would create opportunities for businesses, professionals and young people.
“The India-UK relationship today is not defined by the past; it is defined by the possibilities of the future,” Pande added.
Lord Karan Bilimoria, co-chair of the India APPG, said the partnership between the two countries was strengthened by the achievements of the diaspora.
Bilimoria also praised the contribution of Indian-origin communities and said the relationship between Britain and India would continue to expand.
He recalled the signing of the Free Trade Agreement and said the deal represented an important step forward.
AI minister Kanishka Narayan spoke about the future of cooperation between the two countries.
“The stability and depth of our relationship is something we will continue to see in the months and years ahead,” he said.
Kanishka also highlighted the importance of technology and innovation in shaping the next phase of UK-India ties.
“Politics is at its best when it listens to the sound of the future – not just a reflection of the past, and not just a view of the present, but a prescription for the future,” Narayan said.
He noted areas including AI, healthcare, fintech and technology as opportunities for closer cooperation.
Leicester East MP Shivani Raja also addressed the gathering, saying the evening celebrated the contribution of communities that strengthen links between Britain and India.
She said, “As someone who is proud of both her British and Indian heritage, and as the Member of Parliament for Leicester East, I witness firsthand every day the immense contributions made by the Indian diaspora to our country. From entrepreneurship to innovation to public service and community leadership, the Indian community plays a very positive role in local life.”
The event was attended by MPs Gurinder Josan, Luke Murphy and Andrew Rosindell, as well as Lord Moynihan, Lord Krish Raval, Lord and Lady Dholakia, Baroness Ayesha Hazarika, Baroness Geeta Nargund, Baroness Nina Gill, and business leaders Tony Matharu and Mohit Burman.
