India and the United Kingdom on Thursday launched new initiatives to strengthen joint action in maritime security and critical minerals, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his British counterpart Yvette Cooper reviewing security and economic cooperation and discussing the implications of the conflict in West Asia.
The two sides concluded a memorandum of understanding on establishing the Regional Center of Excellence for Maritime Security, which will help Indian Ocean countries build capacity to address non-traditional maritime security threats. They also launched the Global Supply Chain Observatory for Critical Minerals (GSCO) between India and the UK to enhance cooperation on critical minerals and support the creation of resilient and secure global supply chains.
Cooper arrived in India on Wednesday in her first visit to the country after a trip to China. Besides holding talks with Jaishankar to review the implementation of India-UK Vision 2035, she met Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy to launch the GSCO.
Cooper also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said on social media that the India-UK partnership has deepened in recent times, opening up unprecedented growth opportunities for both sides. “India-UK Vision 2035 will continue to guide our partnership and strengthen our joint efforts for global good,” he said.
At the start of his meeting with Cooper, Jaishankar said the India-UK relationship has moved from its historical roots to become a “forward-looking highway of shared economic ambitions and advanced technology.” He said the signing of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and adoption of the Defense Industry Roadmap last year had positioned the two sides to build a new, future-oriented and mutually beneficial partnership.
CETA also addresses several concerns about creating resilient supply chains, trade, energy and economic security, Jaishankar said. Cooper noted that the bilateral partnership has “gone from strength to strength” due to CETA and work under the five pillars of Vision 2035 that focus on economic growth and technology such as artificial intelligence, defence, security, climate, clean energy and education.
Cooper said this cooperation is taking place amid “significant global instability” due to a shared focus on trade and commitment to economic security, and this is reflected in the launch of initiatives related to maritime security and critical minerals.
The two sides first unveiled plans to establish a Regional Maritime Security Center of Excellence (RMSCE) with the adoption of Vision 2035 in July 2025. As part of the Defense and Security pillar of Vision 2035, the center to be established by King’s College London and the National Maritime Foundation also aims to strengthen cooperation under the Indo-Pacific Initiative.
The Global Supply Chain Observatory for Critical Minerals (GSCO) will be set up through £1.2 million funding and will involve setting up a satellite observatory at IIT-Dhanbad’s Mining Innovation Centre. Its launch marks a significant milestone in the India-UK partnership on critical minerals and supply chain resilience, and strengthens cooperation in securing the resources needed for clean energy transitions, advanced manufacturing and electric mobility, the Indian government readout said.
Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy said the observatory will strengthen India’s information capabilities critical to the mineral supply chain, advance the objectives of the National Critical Minerals Mission, and enhance international cooperation with trusted partners. Cooper said that improving information exchange is in the interest of both countries and will contribute to the security of the supply chain.
GSCO is a joint initiative of Technology Innovation in Exploration and Mining India (TEXMiN), IIT-Dhanbad and the University of Cambridge.
It will enable monitoring of critical mineral supply chains globally, identify supply risks and disruptions and generate market intelligence.
Jaishankar and Cooper joined Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to witness the handing over of the letter of approval to the University of Liverpool to open a campus in Bengaluru.
