BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY TO VISIT INDIA
(3 February 2004)

British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, will visit New Delhi and Bangalore from 5-8 February as part of a major British Government initiative to work with the Indian government to further enhance the strong relations between the two countries. On 6 February he will have a series of calls on Indian Ministers, including on Yashwant Sinha, his Indian opposite number. He will deliver a speech on 'Defeating Terrorism for Global Order'.

Speaking before his departure, the Foreign Secretary said "This is my fourth visit to India as Foreign Secretary, and comes as the latest in a series of UK Ministerial visits to that country. India is a vital partner for the UK: it is central to six of the UK's eight strategic foreign policy objectives. Britain and India are committed to taking our relationship to a new strategic level which reflects the great mutual importance of our countries and the global importance of India in the 21st Century. My talks in Delhi will be about how both sides can further build on this new strategic relationship.

He will be in Bangalore on 7 February, where he will present awards to Indian students who have won scholarships to study in the UK on the Chevening programme. He will visit the premises of Astra Zeneca and Infosys. At the first of these he will make a speech on 'Britain and India: A Changing and Prospering Partnership'.

"In Bangalore I will be speaking about why India is so important to Britain. Bangalore will be an appropriate venue: more than 70 British companies have operations there, including leading firms such as HSBC, Rolls Royce, BAe Systems and Misys. And these links are being reciprocated by India companies, investing in the UK IT sector or collaborating with British companies on cutting-edge biotechnology research. Increasingly, our business ties are a true two-way partnership, to the benefit of both our countries."

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