Indian industry representatives today called on the UK to examine its visa system to make people to people movement easier for greater economic cooperation between the two countries.
"It is time to review our (India-UK) economic engagement and chart a course for the future. None of this will be possible without promoting people to people exchange," Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) president Ajay Sriram, mission leader of this year's annual CEOs delegation to Britain, said at CII's annual conference at the St James' Taj Hotel in London today.
Sriram, chairman and senior managing director of DCM Sriram Limited added, "The UK has effected changes in policy which curb the movement of technical personnel between India and the UK. There is a need to examine ways to enhance the easier transfer of students and technical experts and address these issues on a priority to increase business engagement.
"We in CII strongly believe that the potential of business growth between the two countries is large. India is seeing a new wave, a new push, a new direction and let's jointly work to capitalise on that and get benefit for both countries going forward."
His views were echoed by delegation member Dhruv M Sawhney, chairman and managing director of Triveni Engineering & Industries Limited which has significant waste-to-energy operations in the UK.
"It is important to separate immigration from Indian business visas and it needs a fresh look, a new working group and a clear road map," he said.
The UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) representative at the event, Marian Sudbury - director of UKTI's Global Operations, stressed that figures show that 90 per cent of visas applied for by Indians are granted.
"At times it is harder to get rid of a perception. I would like to highlight that the (business visa) rules are relatively straight forward," she said.
CII's annual conference, titled 'India an Opportunity: Emerging Partnerships with the UK', brought together senior industry leaders from India and UK to discuss the new Indian government's agenda, especially in the light of its first budget and what it holds for the economy and foreign investors in India.
"A new India is emerging and we have been engaging deeply with the new government and would like to see a lot more of UK partnership," said CII director-general Chandrajit Banerjee in his opening remarks.
The Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Ranjan Mathai, added, "The trend of Indian companies listing in London will only increase growth and job creation will all happen. But rest assured it will all be done the Indian way and not in a way everyone else expects".
