The UK is buzzing and it’s not just because the visit of PM Modi – although that is definitely one reason. Ever since the London Olympics put the global spotlight on the nation to allow at long last a British Prime Minister to claim credibly the UK ‘is the greatest country in the world’ – there has been a buzz.
First, skilled labour. Britain’s hubs allowing companies using their talents to lead globally. From Northern Ireland’s Cybersecurity specialties to Scotland’s alternative energy hubs; from Midlands in automotive to Manchester in Nano.As PM Modi explained to me over a decade ago – it is intellectual property that makes a nation wealthy, and Indians have it in abundance – from the number zero onwards. (He had a mischievous twinkle in his eye when he said that!).
Second, the networks. Again, not just Techcity (www.techcityuk.com) with the thousand plus companies all interacting, sharing costs, doing business, like the UK’s Silicon Valley. Or TechHub and its workspaces, Springboard in Cambridge, Oxygen in Birmingham and loads more all over the UK.
I co-founded TIE-UK connecting Indian and British Indian entrepreneurs through mentoring knowing this would pull in investment from India to the UK because companies need ‘soft-landings’ to help them grow. And British Indian NRIs have exactly that – they can help pull in even more in their image and British organisations like this which help NRIs throughout the UK to help attract Indian companies to set up in the UK are vital to keeping Britain great.
Third is capital. Investment groups like the Indian Angel Network with whom then PM Brown launched with UKIBC in Delhi my initiative of the UK India Business Angel Network to invest in British companies of Indian origin is one of many sources of capital for Indian companies setting up their UK HQs.
What are the types of entrepreneurial companies coming to the UK from India to be the next Tata and Reliance from a UK HQ?
Advatech in medical services with its plan of investing $500m to create 500 jobs in the UK over the next 3-5 years is one. Stelae Technologies using AI for data mining is no less ambitious led by that rare breed – a woman in tech – Aruna Schwartz. Then there is Desolenator – making drinkable water using portable solar energy packs.
So what is the role of British Indian NRIs in keeping Britain great and using their special relationship with India? It won’t be easy. They have to sacrifice, time, energy and personal goals for the greater national British good.
Don’t be put off by short-sighted people who ask NRIs to have nothing to do with India. As British NRIs we can make the relationship strong by promoting Britain – and that’s what the PM visit did!
