"It's about making sure it actually happens in practice": UK envoy Lindy Cameron on US-Iran deal
New Delhi, June 18
British High Commissioner to India Lindy Cameron on Thursday said that the United Kingdom has welcomed the United States-Iran peace deal and is now focused on ensuring its implementation, stressing the importance of safe and predictable transit through the Strait of Hormuz for both Indian and UK economies.
Speaking to ANI, Cameron said, "You've seen what our Prime Minister has said. He's welcomed the deal. We're now keen to make sure it actually comes into force and that both of our economies here in India and the UK are able to be confident that that transit is possible through the Strait of Hormuz predictably and safely. So it's about making sure it actually happens in practice."
On the next decade of India-UK relations, Cameron said, economic growth would be at the heart of the partnership, highlighting the India-UK trade agreement that is set to enter into force on July 15.
She said, "It's a long list. think it starts with growth. I'm really excited to see the tangible benefit that this trade deal will have for both of our economies, the jobs it will create, and the businesses it will scale. It's massive, and it's going into force on the 15th of July."
She said the relationship is also deepening across defence and security, education, technology, innovation, and climate action.
She told ANI, "I think that's the starting point but then beyond that as I said, defence and security, the relationship is really deepening and education, the relationship is really scaling but on tech and innovation I think that's where some of the superpower excitement comes from so lots of opportunities and of course we're both working together to tackle the shared change the shared challenge of climate change as well which matters for both of our economies too."
British High Commissioner to India Cameron today hailed the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) slated to come into force from July 15, 2026, as "historic", recognising it as an opportunity for the economic benefit of both nations.
Announced after a breakthrough between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the G7 Summit, the deal aims to double bilateral trade to USD 100-USD 120 billion by 2030.
Speaking with ANI, the High Commissioner emphasised that the deal will be effective less than a year after it was signed, calling it the "fastest trade deal" put into force by the nations.
She said that the deal assumes significance amid a "complicated time" globally, adding that it will help benefit several sectors, including textiles, footwear, and cars, among others.
"This is a really historic moment. The UK-India free trade deal will go into force on the 15th of July this year. That's less than a year after it was signed in the presence of our two prime ministers at Chequers last summer. It's the fastest we've ever put a trade deal into force. And that's important because we just see the importance of this relationship. This is a real opportunity for both of our countries to see the economic benefit from this kind of trade deal at a complicated time in the world. So we want to get it into force as soon as possible. There are textile sectors and the footwear. I can think of whiskey. I can think of cars. So many sectors are going to benefit," she said.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The India-UK trade deal timeline is impressive - under a year from signing to implementation. That's the kind of efficiency we need more of! The textile sector especially will benefit, and our handloom exports could get a massive boost. 👗📈
While the deal sounds promising, I'm cautiously optimistic. Past trade agreements haven't always delivered on the ground. Let's see how many actual jobs this creates for Indian youth. The whiskey and car sectors might benefit big players, but what about small businesses?🤔
The focus on climate action and tech innovation is what excites me most! India-UK partnership in renewable energy could be a game-changer. Imagine Indian solar tech combined with British research - we could lead the world in clean energy! ☀️🌍
As someone living in Bengaluru working for a UK-based tech firm, I can see the potential. The education and tech linkages are already strong - this deal could make it even easier for Indian startups to access British markets. Exciting times ahead! 🚀
The defence and security partnership deepening is welcome, but I hope it doesn't come at the cost of India's strategic autonomy. We should balance our relationships - UK, US, and Russia all have different interests. But overall, a positive step for economic growth. 👍
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.