Entering a new phase: UK-Bahrain relations

The two Kingdoms have worked together for two centuries and a recent visit to London from Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa cemented the links in trade, security, and education.

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Bahrain's Finance Minister Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa and UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves sign bilateral investment deals in London on 19 June 2025.

Entering a new phase: UK-Bahrain relations

Neil Quilliam

last update on 18 Jul 2025

Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa’s visit to London in June highlights how Bahrain wants to consolidate ties with a post-Brexit UK, while reaffirming the strategic value both countries continue to place on their historic relationship in a world of uncertainty and shifting global alliances.

The visit was a significant moment in UK-Bahrain relations, as both governments look to deepen links in trade, investment, defence, and education. The importance is magnified because both Europe and the Middle East are going through a period of geopolitical and economic change. Bahrain and the UK are adapting to those changing circumstances and know that deepening their partnership will enhance their economic resilience, help manage the energy transition, and support regional security initiatives.

As they ride the waves, both states can draw on—and take comfort from—their long history of diplomatic engagement, Britain having first established relations with Bahrain in 1820 with the signing of the General Maritime Treaty, before strengthening ties in 1861 with the signing of the Perpetual Truce of Peace and Friendship, under which Britain pledged to protect Bahrain from naval attacks and provide support if it was attacked by land.

Trade and investment

At the core of the visit last month was the launch of the Strategic Investment and Collaboration Partnership (SIP2), which will see the Bahraini private sector invest $2.7bn in Britain, specifically in its clean energy, advanced manufacturing, financial services, and technology sectors. UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves described it as “a clear demonstration of the strength of the relationship and the confidence international investors have in the UK economy”.

The launch of SIP2 comes at a time of growing trade between Manama and London. In the year to Q4 2024, total UK-Bahrain trade reached $1.23bn, with UK exports increasing 17.2% to $953mn compared to the same period in 2023. This compares favourably to pre-pandemic levels, when total UK-Bahrain trade stood at $717mn in 2019.

As they ride the waves, both states can draw on—and take comfort from—their long history of diplomatic engagement

Trade ties have blossomed in financial services, defence and aerospace, education, and renewable energy technologies, with UK businesses responding to strong demand in Bahrain's diversifying economy under Vision 2030. At the same time, Bahrain's foreign direct investment (FDI) into the UK—which amounted to $67mn at the end of 2023—is set to rise significantly following the launch of SIP2.

Defence cooperation

Bahrain and the UK both face security challenges in the Middle East and Europe respectively. Now outside the European Union, Britain is able to play a leading diplomatic role in the war between Russia and Ukraine, while Bahrain is navigating its way through conflicts involving Israel and Iran.

With both states committed to consolidating ties with trusted and reliable partners, it was no surprise that the Defence Cooperation Accord was signed during the visit. This outlines plans for intensified naval exercises, coordinated joint patrol operations, and enhanced maritime surveillance involving the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) and British armed forces personnel.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images — A Royal tour of HMS Middleton at the Mina Salman Naval Support Facility in Bahrain on November 10, 2016.

UK Defence Secretary John Healey said it "builds on our historic defence ties and ensures our forces are better prepared to meet shared challenges in the region and beyond". The agreement includes the UK's accession to the Comprehensive Security and Prosperity Agreement (C-SIPA), alongside Bahrain and the US. This will further strengthen London's bilateral relationship with Manama within a regional security framework.

Bahrain's hosting of the UK's HMS Juffair naval base already provides a critical platform for British operations in the Gulf. Officially opened in April 2018, HMS Juffair was the UK's first permanent military base 'east of Suez' since 1971 and was seen as a strategic return to the Gulf, welcomed by both sides as a symbol of enduring partnership and a platform to enhance maritime security and British power projection in the region.

Education and culture

Although education and cultural exchange did not feature during the Crown Prince's visit, both remain integral to the Bahrain-UK partnership. The British Council in Bahrain collaborates with local and UK institutions to enhance higher education through its Internationalising Higher Education programme.

Bahrain's hosting of the UK's HMS Juffair naval base provides a critical platform for British operations in the Gulf

This initiative focuses on improving quality assurance, academic research, employability, and leadership within Bahraini universities. By partnering with the Higher Education Council and the Quality Assurance Authority, the programme facilitates Bahraini staff and students' exposure to UK educational practices, supports skills-based qualifications, and fosters professional networks to promote knowledge sharing and policy development.

Moreover, the British Council brings together researchers from Bahraini and UK institutions to promote knowledge sharing and exchange of ideas on global challenges and opportunities. The collaboration places particular emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines and digital innovation, reflecting Bahrain's economic diversification goals and the UK's strengths in research and education.

Jordan Pettitt/AFP — Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (R) with Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa (L) inside 10 Downing Street, London on June 19, 2025.

Indeed, building on the strong ties between British universities and their counterparts in Bahrain, the University of Strathclyde opened an Innovation, Research, and Education Centre in Bahrain, focusing on applied research and technology partnerships in September 2024. Earlier that year, the University of Bahrain signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UK's Lancaster University to offer dual degrees and facilitate staff-student exchanges.

Judging by the visit, all bodes well in UK-Bahrain relations, which is all the more important in the context of shifting regional alignments and changing global dynamics, the pair reinforcing the foundations of their strategic partnership built on mutual interests, a shared commitment to economic resilience, defence cooperation, and educational exchange. Relations that are durable also evolve to meet the demands of the day, as the UK and Bahrain are showing.

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