Dropping artificial limits on students from India studying at British universities and extending mutual recognition of academic and professional qualifications would show we are serious about making global Britain a success, says crossbench peer Lord Loomba. Pointing out that by the end of the decade India is set to be the world’s third largest economy, he urged the government to build on the shared values, strong family ties and a record of cooperation to achieve the ambitions of the 2030 Roadmap for India-UK relations that was agreed between the two countries two years ago, and not let artificial barriers stand in the way.
Lord Loomba has a long record of promoting trade between the UK and India. In 2002, he organised an event at City Hall in London for the Chief Minister of Delhi to mark the twinning of the two capital cities, which has seen business between them blossom. Next month, he will lead a trade delegation of 12 British businesses to Uttar Pradesh jointly with Dr Mohan Kaul, where they are expected to sign multiple agreements for trade and investment.
“The importance of the Roadmap cannot be overstated,” he told the House of Lords in a debate last Thursday. “India is rapidly becoming a global powerhouse in technology, and the UK has world-leading expertise in areas such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, robotics and creative technologies. We also have a mutual interest in global challenges such as climate change and the green economy, and the power of arts and culture to drive growth and regeneration and to deliver social value, and in addressing inequalities.”
Adding that networks and partnerships are key to leveraging the potential of these common interests, and to delivering new approaches, he asked if the Government would “actively facilitate and encourage the development of networks and partnerships between cities, universities, cultural organisations and microbusinesses?”
In response, Foreign Office Minister of State Lord Ahmad highlighted a recently signed agreement with India “recognising each other’s higher education qualifications, which should attract even more students to each other’s shores,” although he acknowledged more work needed to be done in this area. He added that the government is “working to ensure that this recognition is further strengthened when it comes to higher education, and that “future collaboration is immense”.
