London: UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will announce the first Tech Envoy to the strategically important Indo-Pacific, charged with boosting tech and economic ties with India and the wider region.
The minister will arrive in New Delhi Wednesday ahead of the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting and is scheduled to hold talks with his counterpart, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, to discuss progress on the UK-India 2030 Roadmap clinched in 2021 to bolster bilateral ties across defence, security, and business and trade.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said Cleverly is also set to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to conclude a free trade agreement (FTA) with India during an India-Europe business event in Delhi.
According to official UK government data, the UK-India trading relationship was worth GBP 34 billion in 2022 – growing by GBP 10 billion in one year.
“India is a hugely important partner to the UK and the deeper ties we are forging now will help to grow the UK economy and boost our industries for the future,” said Cleverly, ahead of the visit.
“India is also an emerging global leader in technology and there are immense opportunities for better collaboration between us in this sector. That is why we will be basing our first Tech Envoy to the Indo-Pacific region, to maximise the tech expertise of both countries,” he said.
The FCDO said the new Tech Envoy role will boost the UK’s status as a science and tech superpower as the envoy works with partners in the region on areas of shared interest, including setting global technology standards and helping to solve challenges through innovative technology.
The announcement is the second of its kind by the UK, after the appointment of a Tech Envoy to the US in late 2020, something the UK government says demonstrates a commitment to the Indo-Pacific and tech diplomacy.
“India has the world’s third highest number of tech unicorns and start-ups, with 108 start-ups gaining the unicorn status of a private company valued at over $1 billion. This announcement illustrates the UK’s clear commitment to boosting partnerships in India and across South Asia,” FCDO said.
During a visit to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi Wednesday, the visiting Foreign Secretary will mark the opening of the new Young Professionals Scheme, which began accepting applications this week for young British and Indian nationals to apply to live and work in each other’s countries for up to two years.
“This landmark migration scheme will enable the brightest and best in both our countries to benefit from new opportunities,” said Cleverly.
Thursday Cleverly will attend the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting under India’s Presidency to highlight the UK’s goal to advance global efforts on food and energy security, climate change and development.
E FCDO said the British minister will also “continue to call Russia out at the G20 and work with partners to mitigate the global impacts of Russian aggression in Ukraine”.
If the war were to end today, the effects of the exacerbated food insecurity would still run into 2027,” the FCDO statement said.
PTI