UK Minister Lord Tariq Ahmad is currently in India for a four day visit, from May 27 to 31, to strengthen science, research and innovation partnerships between the two countries. He is scheduled to visit various cultural and technology research sites in Jodhpur, New Delhi and Hyderabad. During the visit, the Minister will participate in meetings with high-level government officials such as Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, and G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant.
In addition, Lord Ahmad is expected to make announcements related to the UK-India Health-Tech Bootcamp that has been designed to promote collaboration between the health and start-up communities in the countries. According to the 2030 roadmap agreement, the Minister’s visit will accelerate UK-India collaboration in the areas of science, technology and health.
Lord Ahmad has also taken part in activities that highlight the rich cultural history of Rajasthan. This includes a visit to the iconic Mehrangarh Fort and discussions with upcoming women leaders on gender equality, education and sustainability. In addition, he will launch the ‘English Skills for Youth’ program, a joint venture between British Council and Microsoft India that allows Indian youth to become more qualified for global employment opportunities. In Hyderabad, the Minister will head to Skyroot, a space launch vehicle company, and the world’s largest innovation campus that includes T-Hub and T-Works.
Lord Ahmad is a British-born Pakistan citizen whose parents were from Jodhpur and Gurdaspur in India. As stated in the Integrated Review Refresh, strengthening the UK-India relationship is a significant part of the UK’s long-term foreign policy. The success of the many agreements thus far, such as the free trade agreement which could possibly reach up to £36 bn in 2022, shows promise for the continued growth and collaboration between the two countries.
