Bangalore, Jan 17 British
Chancellor of Exchequer and prime minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown
will hold economic dialogue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and
Finance Minister P. Chidambaram in New Delhi Thursday to boost ties
between the two countries.
Participating in the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
partnership summit here, Brown, who is on a maiden visit to the
subcontinent, said he would also present the first UK/India
education and research initiative awards for collaboration between
centres of excellence in Britain and India in Delhi Thursday.
"I am pleased the historical ties between Britain and India are
becoming stronger than ever and our mutual cooperation is at a
heightened level, as testified by the presence of over 500 Indian
firms in Britain, with 50 of them listed on the London Stock
Exchange," Brown told about 1,500 national and international
delegates attending the three-day summit.
Lauding the growing ties between the two countries across the
segments, Brown said Britain wanted to work with the world class
Indian IT industry to make his country an international leader in
the creative and supportive use of IT for education.
"We want to promote expansion in the number of international
students in Britain along with higher education institutions," he
said, citing the partnership between the CII and the Rajiv Gandhi
Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship of the Imperial College
in London.
Referring to the latest collaboration between the Serum Institute of
India and the British Health Protection Agency on a
pan-meningococcal vaccine, Brown said in each case, increasing
cooperation in the innovation and expansion of the high skill, high
value added and high-tech industries would enhance the strong ties
between the two countries.
Brown is accompanied by a 150-strong business delegation, including
secretary of state for trade & industry Alistair Darling for the
summit.
He hoped India and Britain would play a critical role as the world's
largest democracy and the world's oldest democracy in addressing the
great challenges faced in modern times.
"Nowhere is the expansion happening more quickly and with greater
results than here in India - reinforcing our cultural and linguistic
affinities - and adding to the skills base that will underpin
India's place as an economic powerhouse.
"During my current three-day visit to India, I will be discussing
with financial service leaders from both the countries in Mumbai
Friday on how to deepen the links, as we want to maintain London as
the world's largest capital market," he said.
"In Bollywood, we look forward to forge cultural and creative ties,"
Brown disclosed.
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British
Chancellor of Exchequer and prime minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown
will hold economic dialogue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and
Finance Minister P. Chidambaram in New Delhi Thursday to boost ties
between the two countries.