David Lammy becomes new UK Foreign Secy; may visit India before end of July

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday named David Lammy as his foreign secretary, as the newly-appointed premier started the process of forming a Labour Party government after winning the general election.

The 51-year-old Labour politician and lawyer who is a backer of strong bilateral ties with India, last month said that he would be visiting New Delhi if his party is voted to power on July 4.

Many Diwalis have come and gone without a trade deal and too many businesses have been left waiting," said Lammy, referring to the missed Diwali 2022 deadline set by former prime minister Boris Johnson for the Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

"My message to [Finance] Minister [Nirmala] Sitharaman and [Trade] Minister [Piyush] Goyal is that Labour is ready to go. Let's finally get our free trade deal done and move on, he said, adding he will be in Delhi before the end of July if elected to government on July 4.

Describing India as a priority for the party and an economic, technological and