- Lord (Tariq) Ahmed, Minister of State for the Middle East, South Asia, the United Nations and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative for the Prevention of Sexual Violence in Conflict, is visiting India from May 27 to 31, strengthening ties in science, research and innovation. .
- He will visit historic cultural sites and high-tech research institutes in Jodhpur, New Delhi and Hyderabad while meeting with senior officials of the Indian government.
- Lord Ahmed is excited to announce the winners of the UK-India Health-Tech Bootcamp to promote collaboration between the health and startup communities of both countries.
Lord Ahmed is in India for a visit to accelerate UK-India collaboration in science, technology and health, following a landmark agreement on science, research and innovation signed by the two countries in April.
Underpinning the ambitions for UK-India relations set out in the 2030 Roadmap, Lord Ahmed will meet senior Indian ministers and officials, including Foreign Minister Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Foreign Minister Surahmaniam Jaishankar, Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Balan, and G20 Sherpa Amitabh. Kant.
The focus of the visit will be on science, technology and innovation, and will underline the UK’s commitment to strengthening partnerships around the world in these areas – with the recent unveiling of a new Technology Envoy for the Indo-Pacific. Strengthening the UK-India relationship is a key pillar of the UK’s long-term foreign policy as part of its sustained engagement in the Indo-Pacific, which is underpinned by a renewed integrated assessment.
British South Asia Minister Lord Ahmed said:
The UK and India are trusted partners, united by a special living bridge that closely links our countries and peoples.
Building on the 2030 roadmap for the future of India-UK relations, we are strengthening our collaboration in science and technology and bringing new innovations to both our countries.
The visit comes as the UK and India continue to make progress towards a mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement (FTA). An ambitious, balanced FTA worth £36 billion by 2022 will enhance our current trading relationship.
A trade deal with India will support the Government’s growth strategy in promoting free trade and creating new business and investment opportunities for the UK as a free trading country.
Lord Ahmed’s visit to Rajasthan is his first visit to his mother’s birthplace Jodhpur as South Asia Minister and will highlight the region’s rich cultural history. He will visit the famous Mehrangarh Fort, and discuss issues of education, sustainability and gender equality with emerging women leaders.
In New Delhi, Lord Ahmed launched the ‘English Skills for Youth’ program jointly organized by the British Council and Microsoft India to increase international employment opportunities for Indian youth, especially young women. The Minister will announce the winners of the UK-India Health-Tech Bootcamp, which will promote health-tech innovations from India.
Rounding off his visit in Hyderabad, Lord Ahmed will highlight science and technology innovations with visits to T-Hub and T-Works, a technology start-up incubator and prototype facility part of the world’s largest innovation campus, and space launch vehicle company Skyroot. . He will also visit the National Institute of Animal Biotechnology and discuss further potential for science and technology collaboration with Chevening students from India, the UK’s flagship international scholarship programme.
Acting British High Commissioner to India Christina Scott said:
The UK and India share an invaluable partnership. As we deliver the UK-India Roadmap 2030, we are developing and accelerating our cooperation in health, climate, trade, education, science and technology and defence.
With India’s presidency of the G20, the UK and India have an opportunity to work together to shape and address global challenges.
Notes to editors
- Lord Ahmed’s India tour will include engagements in Delhi, Telangana and Rajasthan.
- India and the UK’s 2030 Roadmap for Future Relations was launched in 2021. Since then, significant progress has been made, including cooperation in health, the transition to clean energy, cyber-security cooperation and the expansion of our defense and security partnership.
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April’s research agreement will accelerate and deepen collaboration on science between the UK and India to drive economic growth, create skilled jobs and improve lives in the UK, India and around the world. It will launch new joint research initiatives aimed at making progress on some of the biggest issues facing the world, from climate change and pandemic preparedness to AI and machine learning.
- High quality images of the Minister’s press tour will be uploaded here.
- Geeta Ahmed’s mother was born in Jodhpur, Rajasthan and his father in Gurdaspur, Punjab.