Brexit or no Brexit, India-UK ties on upward path

Dinesh Patnaik, as the Acting High Commissioner of India to the UK, was the man charged with much of the groundwork that went into Theresa May's first visit to India as British Prime Minister earlier this month. Here he highlights some of the key outcomes and takeaways from the visit for 'India Investment Journal'. The biggest outcome of the visit is the signal it sends to the world of the close relationship between India and the UK. We had agreed on a biennial visit, which is that every two years the Prime Ministers on both sides would meet. The fact that Prime Minister Theresa May has gone within one year of Prime Minister Modi's visit to the UK speaks volumes of the importance she attaches to India. Secondly, this was the first major bilateral visit by her outside the European Union (EU). The message is that the UK considers India of primary importance. It was not clubbed with any other visit; it was a standalone tour. Chemistry and body language Both Prime Ministers got on very well. Prime Minister Modi had a good relationship with former Prime Minister David Cameron and it was to be seen if the same chemistry and dynamics worked this time. And. it seems it has worked very well. The one-hour bilateral one to one meeting between the two PMs continued for almost two hours. Though we won't know what was discussed but the fact is they spoke cordially and the chemistry and body language between them showed that there is a great relationship between the two PMs. This augurs well. The vision statement during PM Modi's visit and the joint statement issued this time have charted out a course for the two democracies to work together over the next few years. And before the next prime ministerial visit, we will make sure that the things that have been mandated for us to do, will be fulfilled. Action points They agreed on home secretary level talks, which is very important. Prime Minister May gives lot of importance to immigration issues and we also give importance to the fact that Indians need access to the world. We have a large community here in the UK which feels the visa regime needs a little tweaking. So the fact that we have agreed to a dialogue is a very positive step. This dialogue will look at all issues faced by both countries and we will find solutions. [caption id="attachment_9980" align="alignleft" width="346"]

Dinesh Patnaik, Acting High Commissioner of India to the UK[/caption] During PM Modi's visit there were many MoUs signed for business cooperation and over the last one year a lot of progress has been made but Brexit and many other factors came in. So we will be taking that forward vigorously. Then there are aspects like intelligence cooperation and we have set up a working group on trade. It is important to note that this is not to look at an FTA [free trade agreement]; it is to look at improving trade between both countries, such as addressing non-tariff barriers and other issues involved in trade in goods and services. The trade in services is very critical because that is somewhere both sides have a synergy. The UK is one of the leading services power in the world and we are also one of the growing powers in services. So we have a lot to give each other. Britain has the technology, we have the manpower which can utilise the technology and make it better. The working group will help wrinkle out any issues between both sides and also give a fillip to the bilateral cooperation. The fact that PM May went with tech companies for the UK-India Tech Summit shows that tech is the future - from smart cities, fintech, aerospace - technology in all its aspects. This is a synergy which we will build up over the next few years. There is no question that the visit has moved the relationship forward and was overall a very successful one. An important aspect to highlight is that given the short period of time that we had to prepare for the visit, both sides got together very quickly and worked out details in the quickest possible manner. This basically shows that the cooperation and interaction between the two sides has reached a good level of comfort. Visas and immigration I really want to make it clear that nowhere was the visa issue a big thing for both our countries. After Brexit and the strong feeling around immigration control, it was assumed that it was topmost on the agenda. The main agenda was trade and technology. India is not wanting to push Indians into the UK. Our government's position is that we want access for our people everywhere in the world. We are a big nation with a lot to offer the world and we want Indians to be able to access anywhere in the world - be it as tourists, short-term workers, professionals, businessmen, technical entrepreneurs, or as students. So our message is don't put in place rules and regulations which restrict access of Indians. But we don't want to push. Today if we look at the figures, the number of Indian students in the UK has fallen by 50 per cent. But they have risen by more than 30 per cent in the US, they are rising in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore Germany, France etc. So Indian students have access everywhere. It is up to Britain to decide whether it wants Indian students to have greater access or not. There is nothing in the rules which stops them coming to the UK, there is no cap on the number of Indian students. When post-study work visa rules were changed, it affected some students. When Britain says it remains open to the best and the brightest, Indian students are among the best. So it is up to the UK to take a decision. Similarly on Tier 2 visas, Indians can still come but the salary threshold has been increased. Indian companies can accept that. All they have been saying is that please do not change rules regularly. If there is a five-year period where the rules are clear, they can work accordingly. It is a fact that Indians are among the biggest suppliers of hi-tech professionals to the UK. The whole point about opening a dialogue is to have a discussion on these issues and to see where the problems lie and where they can be wrinkled out. We don't see students and short term workers as migrants; they should not be counted within the migrant quota. We are confident the UK side understands these aspects and has offered to have a dialogue. Illegal immigration The UK does have a problem of illegal migration and we cooperate fully on the issue. It has been our standard policy not to leave any stranded India anywhere. Our issue always has been identification of nationality. So all we ask is that while they conduct their checks, we should be able to verify as well. Our job is to help all Indians abroad to have a fair system of getting back to their own country. The kind of work we have done in Yemen, Lebanon, Libya where Indians were stranded speaks for itself. The government of India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, has gone out of the way to help Indians stranded anywhere in the world. And if Indians are in trouble in the UK, we will do our best to help them. So it's a way of working together. Conclusion In my view Brexit or no Brexit, the relationship between India and the UK is on an upward path. Brexit brings with it both challenges and opportunities. Unlike any other country, we are very much integrated into the UK. Our Indian companies are based here, they do business here and use the UK as a gateway into Europe. So they face the same problems that British companies would face. So it is a challenge for us to see how we can work with British companies and the British government to ensure that Indian companies get a fair deal in the negotiations with the EU. The opportunities lie in the fact that India and the UK bilaterally have a very strong relationship. And how Brexit will impact that is a work in progress, which has already started.