INDIAN PRIME MINISTER MODI'S VISIT TO THE UK - CBI
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INDIAN PRIME MINISTER MODI’S VISIT TO THE UK LONDON 18-20 APRIL 2018
Contents
1. Business Highlights - Page 3
2. Appendix 1: UK PM’s meeting with Prime Minister of India - Page 4
3. Appendix 2: UK and India: MoUs and Agreements- Page 5
4. Appendix 3: UK-India Joint Statement during the visit of Prime Minister
to UK- Page 8
5. Appendix 4: UK and India research partnership reaches £400 million-
Page 14
6. Appendix 5: UK and India commit to closer military ties- Page 17
7. Appendix 6: Indian investment in the UK soars as the countries agree
new trade partnership- Page 18
8. Appendix 7: UK and India agree ambitious new tech partnership- Page
19
9. Appendix 8: UK government extends 24-hour visa service to Pune and
Bengaluru- Page 21
2
Business Highlights of the visit of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ended his high-profile visit to the UK, announcing in London that India is set to invest more than 1 billion pounds (GBP) in the UK, which is expected to create more than 5500 British jobs. During the visit, UK and India inked a wide range of MOUs, and agreements in areas including, technology, trade and investment, defence, research, and visas. The Department for International trade (DIT) said the new Indian investments are built on the recommendations of the Joint Trade Review (JTR) between UK and India, which took place in 2017. The CBI had also contributed to the recommendations for the JTR. Liam Fox, UK International Trade Secretary said that, “Removing barriers to trade is a key way in which the UK can capitalise on the predicted growth in world markets and so I’m delighted we have come to this new trade partnership with India.” The CBI Director General Carolyn Fairbairn is part of the UK India CEO Forum, the only business meeting which PM Modi attended along with his UK counterpart Rt Hon Theresa May. The agenda for deliberations in the Forum meeting were around technology collaboration, data usage and protection and increasing bilateral investments both ways. The CEO Forum is chaired by Sir Gerry Grimstone, Chairman of Standard Life Aberdeen, and Ajay Piramal, Chairman of Piramal Enterprises. From the UK side, the CEOs who participated in this meeting included Lord Bamford (JCB), Mavinder Banga (M&S), Inga Beale (Lloyd’s), Vittorio Colao (Vodafone), Carolyn Fairbairn (CBI), Lord Gadhia, Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt (Board of Trade), Lord Kakkar (UCL Partners), Rakesh Kapoor (Reckitt Benckiser), Anand Kripalu (United Spirits), Emma Walmsley (GSK), David Whittleton (Arup) and Charles Woodburn (BAE Systems). On the Indian side, the CEOs present included Mr Baba N Kalyani (Bharat Forge), Dr Jyotsna Suri (Lalit Hotels), Mr Rakesh Bharti Mittal (Bharti Enterprises), Mr Ashish Kumar Chauhan (BSE), Mr T Suvarna Raju (HAL), Mr Deepak Bagla (Invest India), Mr Yusuf Ali (Lulu Group), Mr Sujoy Bose (National Investment and Infrastructure Fund), Mr Salil Singhal (Secure Meters), Mr Tulsi Tanti (Suzlon Energy), Mr Nikhil Sawhney (Triveni Turbine0, Mr Abodali Neemuchwala (Wipro), Mr Anil Agarwal (Vedanta Resources)- special invitee and Mr Chandrajit Banerjee (CII). 3
Appendix 1: UK PM’s meeting with Prime Minister of India: 18 April 2018 UK Prime Minister Theresa May held a meeting with Prime Minister Modi of India A Downing Street spokesperson said: This morning the Prime Minister welcomed Prime Minister Modi of India to Downing Street for bilateral talks. The Prime Minister and Prime Minister Modi discussed the chemical weapons attacks in Salisbury and Syria, expressing concern and making clear their opposition to the use of chemical weapons by any party in any circumstances. The Prime Minister reiterated the UK’s position on Russia’s recent destabilising behaviour, underlined by the attack in Salisbury and the protection provided for the Syrian regime’s repeated use of chemical weapons against its people. The leaders discussed their shared priorities in the Indo-Pacific and committed to working more closely together to ensure it remained free and open. They reflected on the progress made on bilateral defence and security cooperation since the Prime Minister’s visit to India in 2016 and the agreement to a number of Defence Capability Partnerships in key strategic areas, with closer military-to-military ties underpinned by a succession of high level visits and exchanges. They agreed to continue working together closely to combat terrorism, radicalisation and online extremism. They also discussed co-operation between the two countries on legal matters. Mrs May welcomed the return to the UK of the Chennai Six. The Prime Minister updated Prime Minister Modi on the progress of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, saying the implementation period agreed in March gives Indian companies and investors the confidence that market access will continue on current terms until the end of 2020. She reiterated that the UK will remain committed to global free trade and investment and that the UK will remain a leading hub for global finance. Prime Minister Modi said there would be no dilution in the importance of the UK to India post-Brexit. He said the City of London was of great importance to India for accessing the global markets and would remain so. The two leaders said trade between the UK and India had grown strongly over the last year and Prime Minister Modi said that Brexit offers opportunities to further increase trade ties. The Prime Ministers welcomed the £1 billion of commercial deals which has been agreed today. They agreed to build on the recommendations of the UK-India Joint Trade Review to reduce barriers to trade, to make it easier to do business in both countries and enable a stronger bilateral trade relationship for the future. Looking to the future the Prime Minister and Prime Minister Modi discussed the new UK-India Tech Partnership agreed today which will create thousands of jobs and generate significant investment in both our economies. The Prime Minister said the Partnership will be at the core of much that we’ll do together over the next decade. Finally, they looked forward to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting tomorrow and agreed on the importance of working together to build a more sustainable, prosperous, secure and fairer future for all Commonwealth citizens. 4
Appendix 2: UK and India: MoUs and Agreements
The UK and India announced a wide range of new initiatives and agreements across technology, trade and
investment and as global forces for good. Increased joint cooperation in these areas will help both
countries prosper.
Memorandums of Understand (MoUs)/Agreements between the UK
Government and Government of India
1. A framework for the UK-India Cyber Relationship, committing to a free, open, peaceful and secure
cyberspace; and cooperation in exchange of information and strategies for effective cyber security
incident management and threat response.
2. An MoU on Cooperation and Exchange of Information for the Purposes of Combating International
Criminality and Tackling Serious Organised Crime, to establish a mechanism for the exchange of
criminal records, immigration records and intelligence.
3. An MoU to strengthen institutional cooperation in the field of Sustainable Urban Development, to
include business engagement, programme and project design, access to finance, knowledge
exchange and research and innovation, to build on existing cooperation on the Smart Cities Mission.
4. An MoU for cooperation in sustainable management of water resources in the Ganga Basin through
collaborative programmes of research, innovation and policy exchange between the National Mission
for Clean Ganga, India, and Natural Environmental Research Council, UK
5. An MoU on Skill Development, Vocational education and Training to promote collaboration and
capacity-building.
6. An MoU to enhance cooperation on livestock husbandry, fisheries and agro-forestry.
7. An Addendum to the Newton-Bhabha MoU to extend cooperation to include joint research in
humanities and social sciences.
8. An arrangement between the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board of India and the Office for Nuclear
Regulation of Great Britain for information exchange and cooperation on the regulation of safe nuclear
energy use for peaceful purposes.
9. A Statement of Intent to explore technology co-operation in areas such as electric vehicles, AI,
FinTech, and advanced manufacturing, as well as utilizing AI, big data and analytics capability for
evidence-based policy making, between the National Institute for Transforming India (NITI Aayog),
India, and UK Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Non-Governmental MoU
1. An MoU between the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) and College of Medicine to set up a Centre
of Excellence in Ayurveda and traditional Indian medicine.
5India-UK Tech initiatives
1. UK–India Tech Alliance: NASSCOM and TechUK have set up a Tech CEO Alliance which will bring
together 10 CEOs from five British and five Indian major tech firms for industry-to-industry dialogue on
digital skills, future business growth and collective challenges and opportunities.
2. Technology Summit II: The UK and India announced the Technology Summit II, which will be held in
autumn 2018. The Summit will bring together the greatest UK and Indian tech innovators, scientists,
entrepreneurs and policy makers to work together to scope and design solutions to challenges
including the governance of future tech.
3. AI and Digital Healthcare: The UK and India announced that as partners in the next generation of
healthcare, they will collaborate on digital health pilots in India’s Aspirational Health Districts by
applying UK evidence-based healthcare AI and technology to strengthen healthcare delivery. These
pilots will be carried out in the areas of self-care, primary, secondary and tertiary care, including eye
care, diabetes and cancer.
UK tech-initiatives in India
1. UK-India Tech Hub: The UK announced the creation of a UK-India Tech Hub. Based in the British
High Commission in New Delhi the Tech Hub will include a network of people and programmes
designed to facilitate ideas, investment and prosperity for India and the UK. It will focus on the fastest
growing sectors, including: cyber security, AI/data, future mobility, digital manufacturing, healthcare,
electric vehicles and digital identity.
2. UK-India Tech Cluster Partnerships: The Tech Cluster partnerships will link world-leading centres of
excellence; enable shared innovation and technology exchange; create landing pads for Indian
companies in the UK and UK companies in India to drive investment and trade and create high value
jobs and build UK and Indian productivity.
3. Advanced Manufacturing Centre: The UK announced the potential establishment of an Advanced
Manufacturing Centre. Such a centre would support respective industrial strategies and in turn drive
growth and jobs in both countries. It would also support our regional partnerships that are at the heart
of our Technology Partnership.
4. FinTech Rocketship Awards: The UK announced the launch of the FinTech Rocketship Awards, a
unique, first-of-its-kind FinTech mentoring programme, led by India and the UK’s top FinTech mentors.
In the first year, at least 20 FinTech entrepreneurs from each country will be given the opportunity to
experience respective ecosystems and pitch for investment.
Trade, Investment and Finance
1. Green Growth Equity Fund (GGEF): The UK and India launched the fund that will leverage City finance
to invest in India’s growth, announcing Eversource Capital, a joint venture between Lightsource BP
6and Everstone Group, as the Green Growth Equity Fund Manager. An initial investment of £240m
from both governments will catalyse additional City finance for green projects in India and UK
companies will be able to bid for infrastructure projects financed by the Fund. The Fund will invest in
renewable energy, clean transportation, water and waste management in India as part of India’s
flagship National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF). UK and India contributions are
investments that will generate returns for each country.
2. UK-India Dialogue on Investment: The UK and India announced a Dialogue on Investment to improve
our mutual understanding of priorities and review future opportunities for cooperation
3. Sector targeting roadmap: The UK and India have agreed to work together on a sector-based roadmap
to address trade barriers in life sciences, food and drink and IT sectors.
4. UK-India multilateral trade dialogue: The UK and India will take forward a dialogue under the Joint
Working Group on Trade, which will support a shared commitment to the global rules-based system
and to the WTO’s role in underpinning it.
5. Fast Track Mechanism: The UK and India announced a mechanism to support Indian investments into
the UK.
6. Commitment to transition EU-India Third Country Agreements: The UK and India announced that this
commitment will ensure continued application to the UK of EU-India Agreements during the
Implementation Period following the UK’s departure from the EU, and put in place arrangements to
replicate relevant EU-India agreements beyond this period.
7. UK-India Fintech Dialogue: The UK and India established a FinTech dialogue to discuss further
opportunities for financial services collaboration, including a proposed new regulatory cooperation
agreement.
Global Force for Good
1. International Solar Alliance: The UK signed the Framework Agreement of the International Solar
Alliance and became the 62nd signatory member country. The UK also expressed its commitment to
the continued advocacy of ISAs aims and objectives.
2. Research and Development: The UK and India will continue their world-leading research relationship,
generating new knowledge and innovations that feed the world’s hungry (high yield crops), protect our
environment (clean energy), save lives (advanced healthcare) and drive economic inclusion (digital
services)
7Appendix 3: UK-India Joint Statement during the visit of Prime Minister
to UK
1. At the invitation of Prime Minister Theresa May, the Prime Minister of India, Mr Narendra Modi visited the
United Kingdom (UK) as a Guest of Government on 18 April 2018. The two leaders held wide-ranging and
constructive discussions and underlined our strategic partnership and growing convergence on regional
and international issues. Prime Minister Modi will also participate in the Commonwealth Heads of
Government Meeting in London from 19-20 April 2018.
2. The UK and India have a natural ambition to reinforce our Strategic Partnership, based on shared values,
common law and institutions, as the world’s oldest and largest democracies. We are committed members
of the Commonwealth. We share a global outlook and commitment to a rules-based international system
that strongly opposes unilateral actions that seek to undermine that system through force or coercion. We
share the Living Bridge of countless personal and professional ties between our nations.
3. The UK and India will work closely together and with other Commonwealth member-states, the
Commonwealth Secretariat and other partner organisations to address shared and global challenges. We
are committed to reinvigorating the Commonwealth, especially ensuring its relevance to small and
vulnerable states and to our youth, who make up 60% of the Commonwealth's population. The
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is an important opportunity to address these challenges
as we come together and unite under the summit's official theme "Towards a Common Future”.
Specifically, the United Kingdom and India will make commitments to help create a more sustainable,
prosperous, secure and fairer future for all Commonwealth citizens by taking action:
a. To promote coordinated global action to tackle plastic pollution including through the
Commonwealth and India’s role as host of World Environment Day 2018.
b. To provide practical support to help Commonwealth member-states boost cyber security capacity;
c. To help Commonwealth member-states implement the World Trade Organisation (WTO)Trade
Facilitation Agreement by providing technical assistance and increased support for the
Commonwealth Small States' offices.
Technology Partnership
1. A UK-India Technology Partnership will be central to the joint vision and to future prosperity, today
and for next generations. The two nations will share knowledge, collaborate on research, innovate and
create partnerships between our world-class innovation clusters. They will deploy complementary
technological strengths to create high value jobs, enhance productivity, promote trade and investment
and tackle shared challenges.
2. Both sides will scale up collaboration on Future Tech to tackle our global challenges; realising the
potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI); the digital economy; health technologies; cyber security; and
8promoting clean growth, smart urbanisation and future mobility – while developing the future skills and
capabilities of youth.
3. The Tech Hub will bring together hi-tech companies to create investment and export opportunities and
provide a new platform to share the very best technologies and advance policy collaboration including
on Future Mobility, Advanced Manufacturing and Healthcare AI under India’s Aspirational districts’
Programme. There is an intent to establish a series of new partnerships between UK regional and
Indian State-level tech clusters, to drive joint innovation and R&D.
4. Both sides are deploying the best of British and Indian talent in science, research and technology to
address priority global challenges. The UK is India’s second largest international research and
innovation partner. The UK-India Newton-Bhabha programme will have lifted joint research and
innovation awards to over £400 million by 2021, since 2008. The two countries will deepen the joint
working relationship on health to make the UK and India safer and healthier places to live, including
through scaling up and rolling out AI and digital health technologies.
Trade, Investment and Finance
1. The leaders agreed to forge a dynamic new India-UK Trade Partnership, to develop new trading
arrangements as the UK assumes responsibility for its independent trade policy, facilitate investment
in both directions and intensify collaboration on shared or complementary strengths. Building on the
recommendations of the recently-completed UK-India Joint Trade Review, the two countries will work
together on a sector-based roadmap, to reduce barriers to trade, make it easier to do business in both
countries and enable a stronger bilateral trade relationship after the UK exits the EU. We will also
ensure continued application to the UK of EU-India Agreements during the Implementation Period
following the UK’s departure from the EU, and put in place arrangements to replicate relevant EU-
India agreements beyond this period.
2. The leaders reaffirmed the crucial role of the rules-based multilateral trading system, and the
importance of enhancing free, fair, and open trade for achieving sustainable growth and development.
They reaffirmed their commitment to work together with all members of the WTO and to take forward
a dialogue under the Joint Working Group on Trade which will support a shared commitment to the
global rules-based system and to the WTO’s role in underpinning it.
3. The UK has been the largest G20 investor in India over the last ten years and India has the fourth
largest number of investment projects in the UK. We will begin a new dialogue on investment to
improve our mutual understanding of priorities and review future opportunities for cooperation.
4. India welcomed the decision by the UK to provide additional support to Indian businesses by
establishing a reciprocal Fast Track Mechanism for Indian investments into the UK. A programme of
technical cooperation will help in improving the regulatory environment. The two sides will support
initiatives of the business stakeholders, including those proposed by the UK-India CEO Forum which
met today, to achieve shared prosperity for India and the UK.
95. Both sides welcomed the prominent role played by the City of London in global finance and investment.
About 75% of the global value in rupee-denominated "masala bonds” issued on the London Stock
Exchange with a third of these being green bonds.
6. The Green Growth Equity Fund (GGEF), a joint initiative by the Governments of India and the UK
under India’s flagship National Investment and Infrastructure Fund, will provide financing to the fast-
growing Indian renewable energy sector. With a commitment of £120 million from each side, the GGEF
is expected to raise up to £500 million from institutional investors. GGEF will help accelerate achieving
India’s target of 175GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022 and also invest in other related sectors
such as clean transportation, water and waste management. We look forward to future cooperation
on energy and infrastructure policy and have agreed to work together on smart urbanisation.
7. We also welcomed the establishment of a FinTech dialogue between our two countries – including the
proposed new regulatory cooperation agreement. Our financial services collaboration will be
enhanced by a programme of technical cooperation to help develop markets in insolvency, pensions
and insurance. Further collaboration in these areas will be set out by Finance Ministers when they
meet for the tenth round of the Economic and Financial Dialogue later this year.
8. India and the UK acknowledged the importance of connectivity in today’s globalised world. They
underlined that connectivity initiatives must be based on the key principles of good governance, rule
of law, openness and transparency; should follow social and environmental standards, principles of
financial responsibility, accountable debt-financing practices; and must be pursued in a manner that
respects international obligations, standards, best practice and delivers tangible benefits.
Responsible Global Leadership
1. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to lead the fight against climate change. Both sides noted
that addressing climate change and promoting secure, affordable and sustainable supplies of energy
are key shared priorities, and agreed to cooperate on reducing the cost of development and
deployment of clean energy projects through technology innovation, knowledge sharing, capacity
building, trade and investment, and project establishment.
2. The United Kingdom welcomed the pro-active steps taken by India in establishing the International
Solar Alliance (ISA). The leaders noted the successful holding of the joint event between the ISA and
London Stock Exchange (LSE) with support from the two governments as part of the Commonwealth
Heads of Government Meeting week. The event marked the UK joining the Alliance, highlighted the
proposed collaboration between the UK and ISA on solar financing, developing next generation solar
technologies, and demonstrating UK solar business’s expertise to support the delivery of ISA’s
objectives. The event also highlighted the role of the LSE as a financial organisation that can play a
key role in furthering ISA’s objectives towards mobilisation of investment of over US$1,000 billion into
solar energy by 2030 in target ISA countries.
3. As thriving democracies, we share a desire to work closely together and with all who share our
objective to support a rules-based international order that upholds agreed international norms, global
10peace and stability. Together the UK and India are a force for good in an uncertain world. We are
sharing our experience and knowledge to tackle global challenges. India’s Department of
Biotechnology (DBT) and Cancer Research UK propose to launch a £10 million bilateral research
initiative which will focus on low cost approaches to cancer treatment. UK’s Biotechnology and
Biological Sciences Research Council and DBT will lead the "Farmer Zone” initiative, an open-source
data platform for smart agriculture which will use biological research and data to improve the lives of
small and marginal farmers anywhere in the world. DBT will also partner with UK’s Natural
Environmental Research Council (NERC) on the Towards a Sustainable Earth initiative, which seeks
to prioritise research and innovation for sustainable and resilient human development.
4. We will strengthen our partnership on global development, to accelerate progress to eradicate extreme
poverty by 2030. We will ensure that the benefits of increased finance, new markets, trade, investment,
connectivity and economic integration are shared by as many countries as possible – and by the
poorest and most marginalised – to build a more prosperous and safer future.
Defence and Cyber Security
1. In 2015, we pledged a new Defence and International Security Partnership (DISP) to make security
and defence a cornerstone of our relationship. The nature of threats that we face continues to change
– so we must be innovative and agile in our response. We shall design, create and manufacture
technologies that will address these threats; and our security and military forces will share
technologies, capabilities and equipment.
2. A secure, free, open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific is in the interests of India, the UK and the
international community. The UK and India will also work together to tackle threats such as piracy,
protect freedom of navigation and open access, and improve maritime domain awareness in the
region.
3. We have agreed to further enhance our cooperation to promote international security and stability in
cyberspace through a framework that recognises the applicability of international law to State
behaviour in a free, open, peaceful and secure cyberspace.
Counter-Terrorism
1. The two leaders reiterated their strong condemnation of terrorism in all its forms including terrorism
and terror-related incidents in both India and the UK. Both leaders also affirmed that terrorism cannot
be justified on any grounds whatsoever it may be and it should not be associated with any religion,
creed, nationality and ethnicity.
2. The leaders agreed that terrorist and extremist organisations need to be denied space to radicalise,
recruit and conduct attacks on innocent people; for this all countries need to work together to disrupt
terrorist networks, their financing and movement of terrorists, including foreign terrorist fighters.
113. The leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation to take decisive and concerted actions against globally-
proscribed terrorists and terror entities to protect our citizens, including Lashkar-e-Tayibba, Jaish-e-
Mohammad, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Haqqani Network, Al Qaeda, ISIS (Da’esh) and their affiliates, as
well as tackling the online radicalisation and violent extremism which feeds this.
4. In the wake of the appalling nerve agent attack in Salisbury, the UK and India have reiterated their
shared interest in strengthening the disarmament and non-proliferation regimes against the spread
and use of chemical weapons. They shared their deepest concern about the continued reports of the
use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic. They oppose the use of chemical weapons
anywhere, at any time, by anybody, under any circumstances and are committed to strengthening the
effective implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. They emphasise the need for urgent
investigations and underline that the conduct of all investigations of any use of chemical weapons
must be strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Convention.
Education and People-to-People
1. We welcome the best and brightest to study and work in the UK, especially in subjects and sectors
that develop the skills and capabilities that will boost the prosperity of both our countries.
2. The two leaders lauded the successful completion of the India-UK Year of Culture in 2017. The year-
long programme saw an unprecedented level of cultural exchange showcasing artistic, cultural and
literary traditions in both countries and was a fitting celebration of the deep cultural ties that bind India
and the UK.
3. The leaders welcomed the 70th anniversary of the British Council in India and its work to train teachers,
deliver skills programmes for youth, and support cultural exchanges.
4. The two leaders agreed that it is the Living Bridge between the people of the two countries that gives
the greatest optimism that the next generation of India and UK will have an even more robust and
stronger engagement and exchange. The leaders agreed to encourage and support this Living Bridge.
Conclusion
1. We are committed to making this a strategic partnership, that spans the globe and the century, seeing
our special relationship evolve and improve in the coming years. We encourage our business, cultural
and intellectual leaders to exploit the millions of interactions that already link India and the UK, from
family to finance, business to Bollywood, sport to science – so that millions more British and Indians
exchange and learn, travel, trade and thrive together.
2. Prime Minister Modi thanked Prime Minister Theresa May and the Government of the United Kingdom
for the warm hospitality extended to him and his delegation and looked forward to welcoming her in
India.
12Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II with heads of Commonwealth governments 13
Appendix 4: UK and India research partnership reaches £400 million
UK and India to expand their exceptional research relationship
1. UK and India to expand their exceptional research relationship to work together to address global
challenges including agriculture, health, environment and climate change.
2. Science Minister Sam Gyimah also today confirms the next step towards a UK-India joint advanced
manufacturing centre, as part of a new UK-India Technology Partnership.
3. Announcement comes as part of the Indian Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the UK.
Science Minister, Sam Gyimah, has today (Wednesday 18 April) announced, as part of Indian Prime Minister
Modi’s visit to the UK, that the UK will continue to grow its already strong research partnership with India with
tech-focused investments that focus on issues of global importance including agriculture, clean energy, global
health and the environment.
Britain is established as India’s second largest research partner, with joint investment between both countries
in science and innovation having grown from almost nothing in 2008 to around £400 million by 2021, including
over 200 individual projects, involving 175 different UK and Indian research institutions and more than 100
industry partners, funded in the last decade.
The expanded partnership will help deliver on the UK’s ambition to be the world’s most innovative nation
through its Industrial Strategy, while ensuring UK and Indian researchers, innovators and institutions are
combining knowledge and expertise to feed the world’s hungry, protect our environment, save lives and drive
economic inclusion. For example, the UK and India are working to deliver a second wave of new joint projects
under the Global Research Programme on Health, with UK and Indian researchers working trilaterally with
partners in low-income countries to look at chronic and infectious diseases facing women and their unborn
children.
Science Minister Sam Gyimah said
By combining our best minds, our brightest innovators and our most forward-thinking institutions we will
strengthen the living and learning bridge between our countries and achieve more together than we could
alone.
India is the world’s fastest growing major research power and the UK is one of the world’s top performing
research nations. Together we will continue to build our unique relationship, ensuring that it is a partnership
that brings benefits to countries across the world through world-class research that address shared goals.
Included in the package are research and innovation funding awards made by UKRI under the following
Newton-Bhabha Programmes:
1. Pulses and Oilseeds – under a £7m joint programme projected to increase the productivity, resilience,
sustainability and quality of pulses and oilseeds grown for food or feed
142. Urban Transformations – under a £3.5m programme to address issues around rapid urbanisation
including issues that are predicted to arise in developing areas like urban planning, governance and
management
3. Bio-Technology for Industrial Waste - a £16m programme focused on reducing industrial waste and
pollution, and improving the recoverable value from waste using biotechnology
4. A £10m cross council Anti-Microbial Resistance programme, harnessing every discipline to address
this challenge
Sir Mark Walport, Chief Executive UK Research and Innovation said:
The creation of UK Research and Innovation comes at an exciting time for both the UK and India. As the UK
aims to raise total research and development investments to address global development challenges and new
strategic priorities, so is India boosting investment in research and innovation, presenting a huge opportunity
for collaboration in business-led innovation and high-quality research that changes lives.
The Met Office and the Indian Ministry of Earth Sciences (MOES) have signed a statement of intent to establish
a Weather and Climate Science for Service Partnership for India (WCSSP India), supported by the Newton-
Bhabha Fund. WCSSP India will facilitate joint scientific research to improve natural hazard forecasts,
particularly for high-impact weather events.
As part of the UK-India Technology Partnership being agreed today by the PM and Indian Prime Minister Modi,
the UK and India have also announced a shared ambition to strengthen the two countries manufacturing
relationship.
The Technology Partnership will build on existing cooperation with the UK and India set to complete a joint
study as part of the Partnership the first step towards the potential establishment of an Advanced
Manufacturing Centre. Such a centre would support each nation’s Industrial Strategy and in turn drive growth
and jobs in both countries.
India is already the second most populous country in the world and is projected to be the third largest economy
by 2030. India’s rapid economic growth is already having a significant impact globally. India’s official
development finance, private sector-led trade and investment flows, political influence and thought leadership
are all growing.
Additional Notes
1. The UK ended traditional aid to India in 2015 and replaced it with a new partnership which will deliver
clear benefits for both our countries: creating new investment and innovation opportunities and
boosting trade links. Much of this is done through development capital investment that will generate a
financial return for the British taxpayer.
2. UK’s global research partnership with India complements this; India is a rising global power with a
rapidly growing economy and increasing engagement in countries that are priorities for the UK and on
15global issues that matter to the UK, such as counter terrorism, climate change and health security.
ODA spending to support the global development partnership is not aid to India.
16Appendix 5: UK and India commit to closer military ties The UK and India will continue to strengthen their defence and security relationship, with the two countries working closer together than ever before to tackle terrorism and threats to cyber security. Both nations benefit from vibrant digital economies and will design, create and manufacture technologies that will help protect citizens and businesses against malicious cyber attacks. The agreement will enable collaboration on internet governance, promoting international cyber stability, tackling online crime and developing cyber security sectors. Minister for Armed Forces, Mark Lancaster, said: Defence and security are at the centre of our friendship with India. By working together to combat terrorism, tackle cyber threats, and build regional security, we are keeping both our countries safe. Discussions have also been held on how the Royal Navy can work more closely with their Indian counterparts to ensure the safety and prosperity of the Indian Ocean region – tackling piracy and drug trafficking, as well as protecting freedom of navigation rights. The UK already plays an active role in maritime security in this region through counter terrorism, counter piracy and maritime security operations because a free and open Indo-Pacific area is in the interests of the UK, India and the international community. In addition, work is underway on building a long-term approach to the UK and India’s defence industry-to- industry relations, allowing our Armed Forces to share technologies and learn skills from each other. These new military links are among several ways the UK and India are working closer together across several departments, announced during an inward visit by Prime Minister Narenda Modi. The armies of the UK and India already enjoy a close bond and work together on Exercise Ajeya Warrior every two years, sharing battle tactics and pool together ideas. 17
Appendix 6: Indian investment in the UK soars as the countries agree new trade partnership Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, will visit the UK today (Wednesday 18 April) as an official guest of government at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM). The Indian Prime Minister’s visit comes with a huge boost for the UK economy as a range of new Indian investments worth more than £1 billion will create or safeguard 5,750 British jobs for the economy. Alongside the investment, the Department for International Trade (DIT) has agreed to forge a new India-UK Trade Partnership which builds on the recommendations that followed the Joint Trade Review (JTR) between the 2 countries earlier this year. The new partnership will seek to improve the accessibility of trade for businesses in both countries as the UK assumes responsibility for its independent trade policy for the first time in 40 years. Focusing on the 3 key sectors of life sciences, IT and food and drink, the partnership will seek to reduce barriers to trade, making it easier for trade in these sectors to continue to flourish as well as developing an even stronger trading ties. The UK also intends to recruit a UK cyber security industry expert to be based at the High Commission in New Delhi. Their role would involve sharing British expertise and connecting Indian private and public sector organisations with cutting-edge UK companies who can supply their specific requirements. Total trade in goods and services between the UK and India was £18 billion in 2017, a 15% increase from 2016. UK exports to India, led by innovative machinery and mechanical appliances, form a large part of this and also increased significantly by 14.9%. International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, said: Removing barriers to trade is a key way in which the UK can capitalise on the predicted growth in world markets and so I’m delighted we have come to this new trade partnership with India. That the opportunities for growth in trade with India are plenty, and as an international economic department we will continue to use tools such as trade missions not only to boost UK exports, but also to help businesses of all sizes forge ties and build cultivate relationships with potential buyers and investors. The visit of Prime Minister Modi will see the launch of a package of technical assistance to help India climb further up the rankings for ease of doing business, benefitting UK companies and the Indian economy alike. Additionally, the 2 countries have also agreed to strengthen ties between their respective agriculture industries. Trading relations between the UK and India have received a boost recently after a series of visits and trade missions between the 2 countries. Earlier this year Baroness Fairhead visited Mumbai and Bangalore with a large group of technology businesses to strengthen ties between the industries in the 2 countries. This follows more than 100 UK businesses from different sectors visiting in January and February this year alone. 18
Appendix 7: UK and India agree ambitious new tech partnership UK-India Tech Partnership will pair businesses, universities and others from different regions in the UK with states in India An ambitious new UK-India Tech Partnership is expected to generate significant investment and support the creation of thousands of new jobs across the UK. Under the Partnership agreed today (18April) by Prime Minister Theresa May and Prime Minister Modi, the UK will establish a new UK-India Tech Partnership to identify and pair businesses, venture capital, universities and others to provide access routes to markets for British and Indian entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises. It follows on from the success of the UK-Israel Tech Hub which has generated £62 million worth of deals over the past five years, with a potential impact of £600 million for the UK economy. The most up-to-date figures show the UK exported £358 million of digital services to India in 2015. Based on these figures, the success of the UK-Israel Tech Hub and the size of the Indian economy, the Government believes this initiative could give the UK economy a significant boost. It is estimated the UK-India Tech Partnership could contribute to an increase of thousands of tech jobs in the UK in the coming years. Digital Secretary Matt Hancock said: Our world-leading digital economy is booming, worth more than £116 billion a year and employing more than two million people. We’re determined to see this incredible success continue, and this ambitious UK-India Tech Partnership will bring together some of the best minds working in tech to unlock its future potential and deliver high-skilled jobs and economic growth in both countries. The UK will initially invest £1m to pilot the approach and potentially up to a further £13m by 2022. To build the network the Government will engage in-country experts to work with the British High Commission in New Delhi, the Indian Government and the private sector in order to increase tech investment, exports and research and development. Smaller regional teams will link specific cities and regions in India and the UK. The Partnership will encourage innovation and productivity by helping businesses in the UK and India collaborate on emerging technologies, develop mentoring relationships and exchange staff. The regional teams will also ensure the impact is felt across the breadth of both nations’ expansive tech sectors, and that successful approaches adopted in one region can be shared and adopted in others. Initially the pilot will connect the UK with Pune in Maharashtra, focussing on the Future of Mobility, including low emission and autonomous vehicles, battery storage and vehicle light-weighting. Additional connections will be linked to Bangalore with a focus on augmented and virtual reality, advanced materials and AI. If it is as successful as expected, the Partnership can be scaled up to bring in more regions of the UK and India which share expertise in the relevant fields. 19
In parallel, the UK and India’s tech trade associations TechUK and NASSCOM will work together through a new UK-India Tech Alliance, bringing senior tech leaders together to collaborate, help develop policy and encourage innovation. The UK and India have also committed to holding a second UK-India Tech Summit to build on the 2016 Summit the Prime Minister attended in India. This will bring together leading tech innovators and scientists from both the UK and India to look at pressing issues such as tech governance, including data privacy issues. The Department for International Trade also intends to recruit a UK cyber security industry expert to be based in New Delhi, to share British expertise and connect Indian private and public sector organisations with cutting- edge UK companies who can supply their specific requirements. Julian David, CEO of techUK, said: “This is an incredibly important partnership and something tech businesses from both countries have been driving for. The UK and India are leaders in the development and use of digital tech, and there is a huge amount we can learn from each other and big opportunities to join forces in innovation. India is also a key strategic partner for the UK with world-class digital skills. Deepening our engagement will open up opportunities for business in both countries and help ensure we maximise the benefits of technology for our societies and citizens.” The Partnership will support the Government in tackling the Grand Challenges set out in the UK’s Industrial Strategy, placing the UK at the forefront of the Artificial Intelligence and Data Economy, Clean Growth, and the Future of Mobility in particular. It will also directly support the delivery of the UK Digital Strategy by giving businesses a direct link to India’s digital sector, positioning the UK as India’s global partner and destination of choice in tech. India already invests significantly in UK tech with close to 30 per cent of Indian companies’ 110,000 employees in the UK working in tech and telecoms. The UK and India will also commission a joint study as the first step towards establishing a new UK-India Advanced Manufacturing Centre, which would benefit both the UK and India through our extensive supply- chain networks. The UK has also announced the extension of the Super Priority Visa (SPV) in two further cities in India - Pune and Bangalore. The SPV is a paid-for service which means eligible customers can receive a visa decision within 24 hours. This brings the total number of locations Indian nationals can use the SPV service to five. In addition to the UK-India Tech Partnership, Prime Minister Theresa May and Prime Minister Modi also confirmed new commercial deals worth £1 billion. 20
Appendix 8: UK government extends 24-hour visa service to Pune and
Bengaluru
UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) has today announced an extension of the Super Priority Visa service (SPV)
to Pune and Bengaluru, meaning that more Indians can get a visa decision in 24 hours or less.
SPV is an optional service for customers in India who need to travel to the UK urgently. Pune and Bengaluru
add to the three locations this service is already offered – Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai.
SPV applications are assessed to exactly the same high standard as all other applications but are handled by
UKVI at the highest priority, with dedicated staff members processing cases at the front of the queue and an
express courier service ensuring quick return to the customer. This means that the 24-hour turnaround is
achievable and secure.
Immigration Minister, Caroline Nokes said:
“I am pleased that the Super Priority Visa service is being extended to even more Indian cities, giving many
more UK visa customers the opportunity to receive a visa decision in 24 hours or less if needed.
“India was the first country in the world to receive this service in 2013 – and is once again leading the way as
two more cities – Pune and Bengaluru – receive this first class visa service.
“This is further proof of the strength of the UK-India relationship and of the focus by UKVI on providing a
convenient, world-class experience for Indian visa applicants.”
The extension of this service aims to support the UK-India Technology Partnership, which will include
establishing ‘tech clusters’ in these strategically important cities. This brings the total number of locations
Indian nationals can use the SPV service to five, supporting the ‘Living Bridge’ between our two countries and
facilitating the movement of talent in key sectors.
This announcement is part of a wider package of measures from UKVI as it seeks to transform and improve
the visa service, including greater use of digital technology and additional optional services for customers to
tailor and improve their experience.
Notes:
1. The SPV service in India costs INR 91,733. This fee reflects the high level of management, logistics
handling and staff resource required to receive, assess and return the decision on the visa
application in 24 hours.
2. Customers in Pune and Bengaluru can apply for SPV from 1 May 2018.
3. Further information on the SPV service can be found here:
https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/india/user_pay_services.html#application-and-document-checks
4. During 2017, over 525,000 Indian nationals were granted a UK visa – a 10% increase on 2016.
5. Year ending 2017, UKVI granted 52,500 Tier 2 skilled work visas – more than all other countries
combined.
6. The UK welcomes Indian students who want to study at its world-leading educational institutions.
Year ending 2017, 14,500 Tier 4 student visas were granted – a 27% increase on the previous 12
months.
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