Jaswant fulfils his 'dream'

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, NOV. 13. The Foreign Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, kicked off his three-day visit to Britain this morning by inaugurating a Chair on Indian History and Culture to be set up at Oxford University with an endowment of œ 1.8 millions from the Indian Government. The Chair which would be part of the University's Faculty of Oriental Studies is expected to fill the ``gap'' in research on Indian history.

During his stay here Mr. Singh would hold talks with his British counterpart, Mr. Robin Cook, and other Ministers as part of what officials described as a ``continuing dialogue'' on bilateral relations.

They said there was no structured agenda, but the whole gamut of Indo-British relations in the context of the growing mutual cooperation was likely to be discussed. This is his second visit to Britain this year, and in the summer Mr. Cook had visited India when the idea of an India-Britain roundtable was mooted.

Mr. Singh's visit comes a week after the British Minister, Ms. Patricia Hewitt, had extensive talks in New Delhi, Bangalore, Calcutta and Ahmedabad on expanding the areas of Indian investment in Britain. Britain is greatly interested in getting Indian IT entrepreneurs to invest here, and the British Government has announced a package of incentives for them.

Among other things, Mr. Singh is likely to take up with British Government the issue of defence spareparts, and also pursue India's case for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. Britain has been hedging its bets on the issue, while making polite noises that it appreciates India's case. Next week, the Foreign Office Minister, Mr. Peter Hain, would be

in India to continue the ``dialogue''.

At a function at India House here, Mr. Singh said it had been his ``dream'' to have a Chair of Indian History and Culture at Oxford and he hoped that it would build on the historical ``linkages'' between India and the U.K. It would be the first such Chair at Oxford, he said describing the occasion as an ``exciting moment''.

The Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, Dr. Colin Lucas, hailed it as a ``magnificent gift from India''. He recalled Oxford's ties with India and said the Chair would add to that relationship. The first Professor is expected to be appointed in October next year, and the choice would be

entirely of the university's though the Indian Government would have a representative on the selection panel.

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