London: Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh was given a guard of honor in a solemn ceremony at the Horse Guards Parade grounds in London on Tuesday. There was a special parade by the British Army’s No. 7 Company Coldstream Guards and the Irish Guards Band. The regiments displayed in the parade are some of the most historic in the British Army. This type of formal welcome is considered a special and memorable moment of high respect from one nation to another.
After the ceremony, Rajnath Singh, who retired in the Defense Ministry, met to discuss shared future military commitments and joint training opportunities and his UK counterpart, Secretary of State for Defense Grant Shapps, also paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at the statue in Tavistock on Tuesday. of. , London. Later on Tuesday, the Defense Minister will leave for Ambedkar Museum. After this he will go to Neasden Temple to offer prayers. On Wednesday, Rajnath Singh will meet British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Britain’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Cameron. The Minister will also attend a community reception in Britain. Union Defense Minister Rajnath Singh reached Britain on Monday night. Notably, this is the first visit by a sitting Indian Defense Minister to the UK in 23 years.
The Defense Minister is also accompanied by a high-level delegation from the Defense Ministry, which includes senior officials from DRDO, Service Headquarters, Department of Defense and Department of Defense Production. During his visit, Singh will also interact with UK defense industry CEOs and industry leaders and meet the Indian community there. It is noteworthy that India and Britain are negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Negotiations for an FTA between India and Britain began in 2022 and the 12th round of talks took place from August 8-31 this year. India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership was launched in 2021 with India-UK Roadmap 2030 according to the Ministry of External Affairs. The roadmap is a commitment to a partnership that is beneficial to both countries.
