The Hindu : `U.K. will work for India's rightful place in U.N.'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 30, 2003

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`U.K. will work for India's rightful place in U.N.'

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI SEPT. 29. "We go with India in our blood-stream. It is an incurable disease I am told, but can be alleviated with frequent returns, I am told," remarked the outgoing British High Commissioner to India, Sir Rob Young.

Sir Rob, one of the longest serving British diplomats in the country, said he was retiring from service and settling down in France after his New Delhi tenure ends this October. But this was not any treachery to the Crown. His wife, Catherine Young, hailed from France and his children were there too. Besides, London was hardly four-and-a-half hours away!

The lighter side apart, Sir Rob dwelt on the growth of the Indo-British partnership since 1999 — the year he took over. Indian culture was no longer confined to the 1.3 million strong Indian community in Britain; neither was it confined to the English import of the chicken tikka masala. Indian culture was a subject of study in his country, more Indian films were shot in the U.K. and Indian films such as Lagaan were as much a hit in Britain as they were in India.

"Indians in the U.K. are among the most influential, innovative and successful ethnic minorities in business, politics and arts. Over 6,000 Indians settled in the U.K. last year. They, in turn, strengthen the partnership between Indian and the U.K.," he said.

In the world stage, Britain fully supported India's claim to a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council. The U.K. would work with India for its "rightful place" in the comity of nations. The commitment at the political level between the two countries was reflected in the new relationship that India shared with the U.K., he said and added that there was now a level of trust that enabled both the countries to work jointly on sensitive issues "without making headline news."

Recalling the New Delhi declaration between the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he said the declaration was a "snapshot" of what both countries were doing together on the world stage.

Both countries were victims of terrorism and their partnership stretched from working in the field of combating international terrorism, Afghanistan, peacekeeping and many other fields.

But India could do more to encourage Foreign Direct Investment in more sectors. Also there was a need to change the "image" of India an investor-unfriendly destination.

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