London, March 8 (IANS/RAY) Indian origin people in Britain are "important" because though only being 1.8 percent of its population, they contribute 6 percent to GDP, India's new High Commissioner Navtej Sarna said on Tuesday.
Addressing members of the House of Commons and House of Lords at a welcome extended to him, he also went on to highlight it was more expensive to study at Britain's Oxford and Cambridge universities than institutions in other countries, but Indians were willing to pay extra for the quality of education offered by Oxbridge.
What was preventing more students from India to come to such centres of excellence, said Sarna, was "visa difficulties are making the other destinations more attractive". Among these other destinations, he specifically mentioned Australia and New Zealand.
The event at the Westminster Palace, which houses the British parliament, was jointly hosted by the Indo-British and Commonwealth All Party Parliamentary Groups.
--IANS/RAY
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