Pant to head India-U.K. Round Table

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, APRIL 14. With the British Foreign Secretary, Mr. Robin Cook's four-day official visit to India beginning tomorrow, the Government today constituted a high-power non-governmental India-U.K. Round Table under the Chairmanship of the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Mr. K. C. Pant. The Round Table would be jointly inaugurated on April 18 by Mr. Cook and the External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh.

While the focus of the visit would be on promoting bilateral trade and economic relations, Mr. Cook, would also hold consultations on international, regional and bilateral issues. Apart from intensive interaction with Mr. Singh, the British Foreign Secretary would call on the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the leader of the Opposition, Ms. Sonia Gandhi. Discussions are also scheduled to be held with the Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr. Murasoli Maran, and the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister and National Security Advisor, Mr. Brajesh Mishra.

According to a British High Commission release, Mr. Cook, before leaving London, said ``I am looking forward very much to my visit to India and grateful to my good friend Jaswant Singh for inviting me. Indo-British relations are in robust health. We have a modern partnership. Both our countries are adapting to the many changes of the 21st century. I am keen to see for myself some of the ways in which India is rising to the challenges presented by globalisation and the knowledge-based economy.''

In New Delhi, the British High Commissioner, Mr. Rob Young, told presspersons that trade issues would be the top agenda during the discussions. The two-way trade is worth about $6.3 billion (œ4 billion) annually and Britain is the highest cumulative investor in India with an investment of over œ3 billion. ``The Foreign Secretary's visit follows talks in London with Mr Singh in January during which it was agreed to set up a ``Round Table'' forum for regular talks on bilateral issues, including trade links.

Responding to questions about the British stand on India's nuclear tests, Mr. Young said although Britain regretted the path adopted by India to develop nuclear weapons, it recognised the realities and had been engaged in substantial discussions with India which have been ``fruitful.''

Meanwhile, the External Affairs Ministry announced that the Indian component for the India-U.K. Round Table would include Mr. Swapan Dasgupta of India Today, Dr. Ashok Ganguly, Chairman of ICI Limited, Dr. J. J. Irani, Managing Director Tata Iron and Steel Company, Ms. Sandhya Jain, columnist with The Pioneer, Mr. Uday Kotak of Kotak Mahindra, Mr. Hemandra Kothari of DSP Merrill Lynch, Mr. Jahar Saha, Director Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, Mr. Aveek Sarkar of the Ananda Bazar Patrika, Prof. Obaid Siddiqi of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and Mr. M. K. Rasgotra, former Indian High Commissioner to the U.K. The ex-officio members would be Mr. Nareshwar Dayal, High Commission of India in London and Ms. Bhaswati Mukherjee, Joint Secretary (West Europe) in the Ministry of External Affairs.

From the British side, Lord Swraj Paul, would be the co-chairman of the Round Table.

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