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Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh will hold talks with Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Tony Blair at the India-UK Summit on September 08, 2005. The India-UK Summit follows the day after the two leaders would have met for the 6th India-EU summit, when PM Blair would be leading the EU delegation in his capacity as the President of the Council of the European Union. (The UK holds the Presidency of the EU for the second half of 2005).
Prime Minister Blair will be accompanied by his wife Mrs. Cherie Booth. The UK delegation also includes Rt. Hon. Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and Dr. Ian Pearson, Minister of State for Trade responsible for Trade Policy and Foreign Affairs, besides senior officials.
The two Prime Ministers have met earlier this year at the G8 Plus 5 Summit at Gleneagles and last year in London in September. During PM’s visit to the U.K. in September 2004, the two Prime Ministers adopted a Joint Declaration titled ‘India-UK : Towards a New and Dynamic Partnership’, setting out plans to strengthen and broaden bilateral ties through a comprehensive strategic partnership. The Joint Declaration outlined areas of future cooperation in our strategic relations with focus on reinforcing our partnership in foreign and defence policy, on combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, expansion of economic ties and intensifying cooperation in the areas of Science & Technology, education and culture.
Various initiatives have been taken over the past year to concretize the steps envisaged in the Joint Declaration. A Joint Economic and Trade Commission – JETCO – was set up in January 2005 to enhance trade, investment and technology collaborations. A financial and economic dialogue between our Finance Ministers was launched in London in February 2005. Our exchanges in Science and Technology have been upgraded.
India and the U.K. have close-ranging co-operation over virtually every sector, including Information Technology and other cutting edge areas of the knowledge sector. The U.K. has recently reviewed its policy vis-à-vis India with regard to co-operation in civilian nuclear technology and scientific contacts. We are engaged in ways and means of constructively enhancing our co-operation in several areas including Clean Development and Climate Change, Education, Health Care and facilitating the movement of our professionals as part of our dialogue on consular and migration issues.
India’s relationship with the UK is significant in view of their historical ties, increasingly close political consultations, substantial economic linkages and the presence of a large community of Indian origin in the UK. Over the last few years, the bilateral relationship has acquired great maturity and depth, with both countries consulting each other on several issues of mutual concern.
AK/SK/JA
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