The case for deeper technological ties with London

News: This week, Prime Minister of UK is set to address the Carnegie India’s Global Technology Summit convened annually in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs.

When Delhi thinks of technological cooperation with major powers, the US, Europe and Japan come to mind. But, the missing link in India’s technological space, however, is the United Kingdom.

In this context, a technology partnership with Britain would be a significant gain for India.

Why the technological partnership with the UK is significant for India?

The U.K has a long tradition of scientific research and technological development: For instance, Britain was the first nation to industrialise.

Has top-ranking universities: For instance, the golden triangle of science and innovation (London, Oxford and Cambridge)

One of the world’s top technology powers: Britain is ranked 3^rd in the world’s cyber power index, published by Harvard University’s Belfer Centre, in 2020. This year World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) ranked Britain 4^th in the global innovation index while India was ranked at the 46^th position.

Ambitious policy goals for harnessing technological revolution in various reports: For instance, outer space strategy, artificial intelligence strategy. All these elements in British policy meets with India’s own economic, political, and security interests. The British technology initiatives are also aligned with the technological agenda of the Quad. It is expected to announce a new cyber strategy in 2022.

London wants to build a coalition of like-minded countries to reshape the global governance of technology: This includes strengthening technological ties with the traditionally close partners in the Anglosphere (US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) as well as other partners like Japan and India.

Strategic Reasons: India can’t collaborate with Russia as it lags behind its Western cousins in civilian technologies, whereas collaborating with China is out of the question due to President Xi Jinping’s expansionist policies.

Other significant reasons: Britain is the world’s 5^th-largest economy, a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a major financial centre.

Why the UK is also rethinking its approach towards the subcontinent?

Post-Brexit Britain is looking for solid international partners to retain its position at the top of the global order. As a result, stronger ties with India have become a major political priority for London, too.

The steady relative decline of Pakistan (its economy is now about a tenth of India’s) and

India’s deepening strategic partnership with Washington

These factors are also encouraging London to rethink its past approach to the Subcontinent.

What is the way forward?

A new alliance with Britain will generate domestic prosperity, enhance national security, Increase India’s the global technology hierarchy, and contribute to the construction of a free, open, and democratic global technological order.

India recognises the enormous strategic possibilities with Britain and is willing to invest political capital to build on those synergies.

Source: This post is based on the article “The case for deeper technological ties with London” published in Indian Express on 14^th Dec 2021.