British envoy for better relations with India

 British Deputy High Commissioner Ian Felton on Monday stressed on further improving ties between India and Great Britain by opening more embassies and consulates in the country.

Delivering his talk on ‘The United Kingdom - in the context of today’s globalisation’, organised by the Rotary Club Bangalore, Felton, who had earlier served as the British ambassador to the Republic of Guinea in West Africa, spoke about the relations between Britain and India in education, business and expansion of diplomatic networks.

He pointed out that Cambridge University had recently tied up with the Indian Institute of Science to extend co-operation in education and research, and said that more such efforts were necessary to strengthen relations between the two countries.

Addressing the Rotarians, Felton said: “Consular security and prosperity are our main objectives. We are focusing on foreign office network and by 2015, we will be opening 11 new British embassies. Very soon, a new embassy will be unveiled in Ahmedabad.”

Cambridge University and the Indian Institute of Science will conduct joint researches. “The education system is good in India, which has now become the powerhouse of global economy,” Felton said.

He praised the humanitarian activities conducted by Rotary Club Bangalore. “I enjoy being in Bangalore and it’s good to see many Indian companies like Wipro and Tata making their mark in the UK. In India too, many British companies such as Marks & Spencer, Xchanging (BPO) and the Rolls-Royce Group have come up in recent years,” he said.