UK PM Starmer's India visit concludes with 12 key outcomes in technology, education, trade, and research

New Delhi [India], October 10 (ANI): The visit of United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer to India on October 8-9 concluded with a comprehensive list of 12 key outcomes, marking a major step forward in bilateral cooperation across technology, education, trade, climate, health and research, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.
Both nations announced the establishment of the India-UK Connectivity and Innovation Centre to enhance collaboration in frontier technologies. The India-UK Joint Centre for Artificial Intelligence (AI) was also launched. Additionally, Phase II of the UK-India Critical Minerals Supply Chain Observatory was launched, alongside the establishment of a new satellite campus at IIT-ISM Dhanbad. The establishment of the Critical Minerals Industry Guild will further secure supply chains and promote sustainable green technologies.
Education cooperation received a significant boost with the handover of the Letter of Intent for Lancaster University to open its campus in Bengaluru and in-principle approval for the University of Surrey to set up in GIFT City.
Further, these are nine universities: Southampton University in Gurgaon, Queen's Belfast University in GIFT City, Coventry University in GIFT City, the University of Surrey in GIFT City and the University of Bristol in GIFT City. The University of York in Mumbai, the University of Liverpool in Bengaluru, the University of Lancaster in Bengaluru, and the University of Aberdeen in Mumbai received approvals to open campuses in India.
The two sides convened the inaugural meeting of the reconstituted India-UK CEO Forum. They also agreed to reset the India-UK Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO), which will support the implementation of the CETA and drive economic growth and job creation in both countries.
Another key development was the launch of a new joint investment in the Climate Technology Startup Fund, a strategic initiative under the MoU between the UK government and the State Bank of India for supporting innovative entrepreneurs in sectors such as climate technology and AI.
The visit also marked the launch of Phase III of the Bio-Medical Research Career Program. An Offshore Wind Taskforce. Further, a Letter of Intent was signed between India's ICMR and the UK's NIHR to strengthen health research initiatives. (ANI)