London: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh given full ceremony Guard of Honour at Horse Guards Parade grounds in London

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was on Tuesday given full ceremony Guard of Honour at the Horse Guards Parade grounds in London.

There was a special parade by the British Army's Number 7 Company Coldstream Guards and the Band of the Irish Guards.

The regiments represented on parade are among the most historic in the British Army. Ceremonial welcomes of this nature are considered special and memorable moments of high honour from one nation to another.

Following the ceremony, Rajnath Singh and his UK counterpart, Secretary of State for Defence, Grant Shapps, retired to the Ministry of Defence to discuss shared future military commitments and joint training opportunities

Singh on Tuesday also paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at his statue in Tavistock, London.

Later on Tuesday, the Defence Minister will depart for the Ambedkar Museum. He will then visit the Neasden Temple to offer his prayers.

On Wednesday, Rajnath Singh will be meeting UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Cameron.

The minister will also participate in a community reception in the UK.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in the UK on Monday night. Notably, this marks the first visit of a sitting Indian Defence Minister to the UK in 23 years.

The Defence Minister is being accompanied by a high-level Ministry of Defence delegation, comprising senior officials from DRDO, Service Headquarters, the Department of Defence, and the Department of Defence Production.

During his visit, Singh, will also interact with the CEOs and industry leaders of the UK defence industry and meet with the Indian community there.

Notably, India and the UK are negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Talks for FTA between India and the UK started in 2022 and the 12th round of negotiations took place from August 8-31 this year.

The India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership was launched in 2021 along with the India-UK Roadmap 2030, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. The Roadmap is a commitment to a partnership that delivers for both countries.