India, UK resolve to intensify bilateral exchanges at all levels

Prime Minister of United Kingdom, David Cameron introducing the British delegation to the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, at his ceremonial reception, at Rashtrapati Bhawan, in New Delhi on July 29, 2010.

India and the United Kingdom today agreed on initiatives in the areas of economy and trade, science and technoogy, energy, education, defence, culture and people-to-people contacts as part of their resolve to intensify bilateral exchanges at all levels.

During talks betwen Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his UK counterpart David Cameron here, the two sides decided to constitute an India-UK CEOs forum and an India-UK infrastructure Group.

At a joint media interaction with Mr Cameron after their talks, Dr Singh said the two countries had decided to work towards doubling their trade in the next five years. They also agreed to launch a new phase of the UK-India Education and Research Initiative.

"We will intensify bilateral exchanges at all levels," Dr Singh said.

"Our discussions, this afternoon, were wide ranging, warm and extremely productive. We share the same vision for a renewed and enhanced partnership between our two countries," he said.

Dr Singh said Mr Cameron had a distinguished political career and brought with him the finest qualities of leadership and a bold vision for Britain and a better and safer world.

"His presence here, so soon after his election victory in May this year, indicates the strength of the bonds that tie India and the United Kingdom. It also demonstrates the Prime Minister’s strong personal commitment to take our partnership to an even higher level of understanding and purpose," he said.

Dr Singh said India and the UK were natural partners to shape a better world. "If we join hands together, we can make a meaningful contribution to addressing the challenges of global poverty and development, reform of global institutions, terrorism and climate change," he said.

The Prime Minister said he and Mr Cameron also reviewed the regional security situation and developments in Afghanistan. "There was agreement between us that today terrorism constitutes the single biggest threat to the region and to open and pluralistic societies like ours. We have agreed to further intensify our cooperation in the area of counter-terrorism," he said.

He also told Mr Cameron that the people of India looked forward to the Commonwealth Games to be held in October in Delhi and hoped the event would further strengthen the spirit of the Commonwealth.

"With Prime Minister David Cameron’s visit we have set in place a new momentum to drive our strategic partnership forward. I have no doubt that this will be good for both our countries, and it responds to the wishes and aspiration of both our peoples," he said.

A Joint Statement issued at the end of the talks said Me Cameron set out his hope to achieve a transformation of the relationship between the two countries over the coming years.

"The two Prime Ministers and their colleagues had a detailed and fruitful discussion. They agreed that the India-UK relationship had great potential for growth, to the benefit of both countries, and that both Governments should invest further effort in working to take it to a new level in the future," it said.

The two sides agreed that they should be ambitious in seeking to substantially increase trade and significantly increase investment between the UK and India.

The statement said the new India-UK CEOs Forum would be co-chaired by Standard Chartered Bank CEO Peter Sands and Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata. The group will meet alternately in India and the UK and will make recommendations to the two Governments on how to increase levels of trade and investment in each others’ economies.

Prime Minister of United Kingdom, David Cameron inspecting the Guard of Honour, at the ceremonial reception, at Rashtrapati Bhawan, in New Delhi on July 29, 2010.

Both sides also agreed to review the mandate, composition and structure of relevant existing bilateral bodies in the area of trade, investment and economic cooperation, in order to re-energize our joint efforts. They discussed India’s particular interest in attracting international as well as domestic investment in infrastructure over the next decade, and how best the two Governments could enable and encourage this.

The UK-India Infrastructure Group that they agreed to establish would draw on the expertise of the private sector and help identify barriers to investment and potential solutions.

The meeting discussed a proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of India and UK Trade and Investment to enhance investment in the roads sector, and the two sides looked forward to its early finalisation.

Both sides agreed to explore initiatives that will create resources and incentives to help businesses deploy renewable energy, particularly for the poor.

They also welcomed the new opportunities that had opened up for co-operation in the civil nuclear power sector, following the signature earlier this year of the UK-India Civil Nuclear Cooperation Declaration. This has created opportunities for wide ranging cooperation between the countries in the nuclear field including with regard to nuclear trade and exchanges between scientific institutions, the statement said.

The two Prime Ministers expressed their strong support for the conclusion of a broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement between India and the European Union by the end of 2010. They also agreed on the importance of pressing for a conclusion of the Doha Round at the earliest opportunity.

According to the statement, the the jointly-funded new phase of the successful UK-India Education and Research Initiative would run for a further five years, from 2011 to 2015, and as before, both Governments will contribute to it.

Both sides welcomed the initiative of Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India and the Wellcome Trust, London to come together in a new collaboration to support the development of innovative healthcare products at affordable costs.

In the area of defence and security, the two sides looked forward to the joint Air exercise, Indra Dhanush, which would take place in India in October.

The two sides noted the threats both countries faced from terrorism, and welcomed the strong growth in their co-operation in countering it.

The statement said the two Prime Ministers had a detailed discussion of global security challenges. They agreed on the importance of achieving stability in Afghanistan, so that it did not again become a source of security threats to the region and the world. Both Prime Ministers agreed on the importance of reforming the UN Security Council, with the aim of a permanent seat for India. Similarly, the two sides discussed the need to work together in international economic fora, including the G20. They agreed to work together to strengthen the Commonwealth.

The two Prime Ministers welcomed the creation of the UK-India Future Leaders Network, which will help create and sustain links between some of the most dynamic young leaders in our societies.

The two sides signed an India-UK Memorandum of Understanding on Cultural Co-operation, which will provide a framework for a significant expansion of the rich cultural exchange between India and the UK.

This expanded activity will include the first-ever exhibition in India of the Indian-born sculptor Anish Kapoor, in Delhi and Mumbai. Complicite Theatre will bring its acclaimed production of "A Disappearing Numbe"’, inspired by the life of the Indian-born mathematical genius Ramanujan, to Mumbai and Hyderabad. And the first edition of the Hay Literary Festival in India will take place in Thiruvananthapuram in November.

Prime Minister of United Kingdom, David Cameron laying wreath at the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi, at Rajghat, in Delhi on July 29, 2010.

The UK-India Museums and Galleries Partnership Agreement, signed in June, will see closer collaboration between museums in India and the UK in knowledge sharing, exhibitions, education and conservation; a joint initiative by all of Edinburgh's Festivals to develop India-focused programming from 2012 to 2014; and "Shard", a new programme to support the digitisation of records of common interest to both India and the UK.

Both sides welcomed plans by the concerned Indian agencies for the manifestation of the year long celebration in the UK of Rabindranath Tagore’s 150th Birth Anniversary, commencing in May 2011, the statement added.

NNN