Speech

'Significant partnership opportunities for Indian and UK companies'

Speaking notes by British Deputy High Commissioner Bengaluru, Dominic McAllister at Aerospace and Defence Manufacturing Show, 1 July 2016.

From:
Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Department for International Trade Defence & Security Organisation, and Dominic McAllister
Published
1 July 2016
Location:
Bengaluru
Delivered on:
(Speaker's notes, may differ from delivered version)
यूके

I am pleased to be a part of this important conference for the aero and defence sector.

As the British Deputy High Commissioner based here in Bengaluru I would like to say a few words about the enduring UK – India relationship and what we are doing to strengthen it further.

India is moving from a model in which foreign technologies are adapted and manufactured here, to a scenario where technologies are developed in-country as part of the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

But India is still at a growing stage where it is looking to nurture, incubate, fund, commercialise and scale innovations. This opens up significant partnership opportunities for Indian and UK companies.

During the conference speakers will be exploring:

  • how new thinking in technology will ensure more efficient and effective processes;

  • the importance of manufacturing and design.

You will also be hearing later from Kishore Jayaraman, Country Head of Rolls-Royce, about how Rolls-Royce and the UK are at the forefront of cutting-edge aerospace technologies.

In 2016 UK Trade and Investment will be launching its Global Engineering Technologies (GET) Together campaign of which aerospace is a major component. The campaign will focus on ‘Growing Aerospace Together’ in sales, supply chain, training, and maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO).

In February UK Trade and Investment linked up with the Indian ACMA (Automotive Components Manufacturers’ Association) to take a delegation of 18 Indian companies to various centres of engineering excellence in the UK.
This visit generated a lot of interest from both sides and several discussions are ongoing.

We are planning:

  • India-UK focused engagement at the upcoming Farnborough Air from 11 - 17 July (through our partners ADS and UKIBC);

  • to showcase UK aerospace expertise at the CII Tech Summit in November in New Delhi; and

  • a range of engagement activities for the Aero India show in Bengaluru early next year.

But why collaborate with the UK?

  • Britain’s economy is 5th largest in the world, and we are well placed to face the future;

  • the UK is the third largest investor in India, while India invests more in the UK than the rest of the European Union combined;

  • the UK has a world class aerospace and defence supply chain involving about 3,000 companies and is the largest in Europe and second only to the US globally;

  • half the world’s modern large aircraft fly on Airbus wings designed and manufactured in UK;

  • India and the UK already work together on supply chain collaboration (mainly in aerospace), low carbon automotive technologies and a range of manufacturing technologies including automation and robotics;

  • Prime Minister Modi has said that the UK and India are an ‘unbeatable combination’. At the Deputy High Commission we are tasked with delivering this partnership, but we don’t do this alone. Our successes are built through working with you.

I’d like to thank SIATI for this opportunity to speak. I wish you a successful event here and look forward to your participation at the Farnborough Airshow.

Published 1 July 2016