India Briefs UK on Operation Sindoor, FTA

London, May 15 (PTI) The Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami has been leading proactive engagement sessions with Indian community groups and parliamentarians to reiterate the successes of Operation Sindoor.

Over the course of this week, the High Commission of India in London hosted an interactive community engagement session to spotlight the effective dismantling of terror sites in Pakistan and the valour of India's armed forces with the diaspora.

In a meeting with the India All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) in London on Wednesday, Doraiswami also emphasised the many opportunities opened up by the recently concluded negotiations for an India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

“On May 14, HC [High Commissioner] Vikram Doraiswami briefed the India APPG about the successes of Operation Sindoor, and India's resolute, responsible, proportionate and very effective dismantling of terror sites in Pakistan and on territory it illegally occupies, and the new normal established by India in enforcing its unwavering commitment to securing the nation from terror and those who back and finance it,” the High Commission said in a statement on social media.

“He highlighted national unity, as reflected in the skill and professionalism of its armed forces, as India's greatest strength,” the statement reads.

“He also discussed the India-UK FTA and emphasised vast opportunities it presents for both sides in deepening economic cooperation, innovation, business integration and mutual growth,” it adds.

India carried out precision strikes under Operation Sindoor on terror infrastructure early on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. Following the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10.

India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.

The extremely well-attended and closed-door India APPG briefing attracted a host of British Indian cross-party parliamentarians from both Houses of Parliament, led by co-chair Lord Karan Bilimoria and president Baroness Sandip Verma as well as MPs Shivani Raja and Gurinder Josan, among others.

“I believe that this Free Trade Agreement will be a catalyst and turbocharge trade, business and investment between the United Kingdom and India, and that our bilateral trade will double to over 80 billion pounds within five years,” Bilimoria said, with reference to the India-UK FTA talks concluded on May 6.

The UK's Department for Business and Trade (DBT) estimates that the pact will add an extra GBP 25.5 billion annually in the long run to the current two-way trade of GBP 41 billion a year. The deal is now in the process of being finalised in draft form to be enforced following parliamentary approval.