Indo-UK ties in ‘Global Britain’
HOME SECRETARY Priti Patel said talks are on for a “bespoke” post-Brexit deal with India to facilitate an exchange of students and experts between the two countries.
As a result of Britain’s formal exit from the EU at the end of last year, the UK is no longer part of the Erasmus programme, which allowed students to study at European institutes and vice versa.
The UK announced plans to launch its own Turing Scheme, named after the English mathematics genius Alan Turing.
“We are in the process of developing our Turing programme and there are discussions on right now for a bespoke partnership with India on youth mobility as well,” Patel said, during a virtual interaction with the Conservative Friends of India (CFIN) diaspora group last Tuesday (20).
“I believe in doing this country by country in a bespoke way because we base this on skills, bilateral ties, common values,” she added.
Patel said the move formed part of a “revolutionary” approach to talent flow, made possible as a result of Brexit and led to a “fundamental change” to the UK’s visas and immigration policy.
“We’ve had the greatest moment of liberation leaving the EU, for which I have campaigned for over 25 years. We rebuild now, we build back better, do things on our own and stand up for ourselves in the world and have a really strong Global Britain position out there,” she said.
On ties with India, Patel said, “I think it is fair to say we went backwards on UKIndia, but we are now accelerating and moving forward. Our wonderful prime minister [Boris Johnson] has a wonderful personal relationship with prime minister Narendra Modi, who has been invited to the UK for the G7 summit in June.
“We are working with India on rebalancing this IndoPacific tilt and rules-based international system, at a time when China has done a great deal to undermine democratic values and freedom. That also speaks to our Global Britain agenda and Britain as a force for good in the world,” she said, adding that India as a country was “very personal” to her.
“Prime minister Modi is a fellow Gujarati and a fantastic leader. I’m very keen to go to India. When we are released from lockdown and when there are better days ahead, I will definitely be going,” she said.
Patel also called on the Indian diaspora in Britain to get involved with politics at the grassroots level as a form of public service.
“Politics is about public service and putting people first. That should be our compass and we need to be prepared to fight for things that we believe are right,” she said, in her message to prospective parliamentary candidates from the Conservative party.