New Delhi: Important western European nations Britain, France, and Germany are stepping up engagement with India at the Raisina Dialogue conference this year through high-level visits.
In a statement, the British High Commission said, “Tariq Ahmad, minister of state for the Middle East, South Asia, UN and the (British) Prime Minister’s Special Representative on preventing sexual violence in conflict arrives in India on Wednesday to lead the UK delegation to the Raisina Dialogue where he will reaffirm the UK’s commitment to a “free and open” Indo-Pacific, a region of critical importance to our future security and the Prime Minister’s priority of growing the UK’s economy.
The British High Commission added, “The UK delegation at this year’s Raisina Dialogue includes First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sir Ben Key. In addition to his participation at the flagship foreign policy conference, Admiral Key will join a series of high-level meetings with the senior leadership of the Indian Armed Forces to review progress on various aspects of the UK-India defence partnership and exchange views on global security challenges. During the visit, Lord Ahmad will also mark second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has underlined the link between Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific through its impact on global energy and food costs. As Russia’s war enters its third year, the UK’s support for Ukraine is unwavering.”
Meanwhile, the French Embassy said, “France is once again participating in force in the Raisina Dialogue, India’s premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics. This year’s French delegation comprises senior military officers, including France’s Chief of Naval Staff, senior officials from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, including the Ambassador for Digital Affairs, the Ambassador for the Poles and Maritime Issues, and the Head of the Policy Planning Centre, as well as representatives of the French Development Agency (Agence Française de Développement - AFD).
