This snapshot, taken on 07/04/2010, shows web content selected for preservation by The National Archives. External links, forms and search boxes may not work in archived websites.
Last updated: 23 November 2008
5 April 2007
CAB 033–07
E–Government Minister Pat McFadden flies out to India this Sunday for talks with Indian Government Ministers and major Indian IT and software firms.
E–Government Minister
Pat McFadden
Mr McFadden's discussions will include Indian firms who have already invested in the UK or who may possibility do so in future.
The Minister will leaving London for Hyderabad on the 8th April and spend four days in Hyderabad and New Delhi.
Meetings scheduled for the trip include the Honorable Dr Shakeel Ahmad, Union Minister of State for ICT, Honorable Meria Kumar, Cabinet Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Tata Consultancy, (the company located in Northern Ireland) and Nasscom, the body representing the Indian software industry.
Mr McFadden is also the Minister for Social exclusion and his trip will include a visit to the Salam Baalak Trust Project, highlighting the poverty which exists in many parts of India, alongside the impressive economic growth of recent years.
Pat McFadden said:
“This visit is very much about sharing the experience in both the UK and India of how technology can be used to improve service delivery and make life easier for citizens.
Both the UK and India have significant expertise in IT and I'm sure a deeper dialogue on these issues can benefit both countries.
We have to get beyond the idea that globalisation is a one way street where jobs are simply transferred from developed economies to rising new economic powers like India through outsourcing and off–shoring. Globalisation is a two way street, and there are now a growing number of Indian companies who are investing and creating jobs here in the UK.
About 60% of India's investment to Europe comes to the UK and over 500 Indian companies have operations in the UK in sectors like ICT, automotive components and pharmaceuticals.
Companies like Tata Consultancy Services employ over 2,000 people in the UK, Infosys has about 1,400 staff in the UK and HCL employ around 1,800 people in the UK.
These companies are attracted by our stable economy, our low interest and inflation rates and a business and regulatory environment geared to helping businesses grow and prosper. Their investment helps to contribute to economic prosperity and employment here in Britain.
The countries best placed to prosper from globalisation are those who seek to deepen trade, educational and cultural links. The potential for such partnerships between the UK and India is enormous.
Although trade and economic growth are opening up opportunities for many people in India it is of course also the case that not everyone has benefited from the boom of recent years. I will be visiting projects which aim to tackle poverty and social exclusion and I want to see how India is using technology to provide services to some of the poorest sections of the community.”
Highlights from Pat McFadden's itinerary:
Tel: 020 7276 1196 – Fax: 020 7276 0618
Out of hours telephone 07699 113300 and ask for pager number 721338