British biz delegation looks for partnerships in infra sector

Britain, whose bilateral trade with India last year was around £12 billion, is looking for securing a pie in India’s ‘infrastructure boom.’

A UK trade and investment delegation, headed by Communities and Local Government Minister Eric Pickles, is currently in Kerala, after exploring business and investment opportunities in Kolkata. The delegation, comprising industrialists, businessmen, entrepreneurs and professionals, has already had discussions with government leaders and the business community.

“Do some business with Britain,” Pickles told a business conference held at Kochi on Wednesday.

He said his country had world-class expertise in a range of infrastructure areas, particularly in transportation. Britain was keen on project tie-ups with private as well as public partners in India. British entrepreneurs were also interested in the PPP mode. They would love to work with the Kochi metro rail, the monorail, and in fact any project.

Deputy High Commissioner Mike Nithavrianakis and other officials in the British mission in India accompanied the delegation. Members of the delegation had one-on-one meetings with individual Kerala businesspeople. They also had discussions with PWD Minister Ebrahim Kunju and government officials.

At a session on ‘Climate change through community initiative’ Pickles and his delegation interacted with gram panchayat leaders from the central Kerala region. He said he was a great admirer of Kerala’s panchayati raj model.

Addressing a business seminar hosted by the Indian Green Building Congress and the CII, Pickles offered the UK’s expertise to Kerala in urban growth, industrialisation and waterfront regeneration. The UK, he said, has gained experience in master planning, engineering and architecture, transforming old cities into new havens.

“We want to put this know-how at your service,” he told the gathering on Wednesday.

Pickles said the UK-India partnership in the State is blossoming. He cited the special purpose vessels built at Cochin Shipyard and the development of LNG terminal by HR Wallingford.

It is time to take that relationship to the next level, he said, adding that the visiting business delegation had some interesting proposals on various sectors.

State Public Works Minister Ebrahim Kunju pointed out that Kerala has been witnessing rapid urbanisation in the recent past and the present transport infrastructure is getting inadequate to cater to the ever-increasing demands.

Aimed at developing an efficient transport infrastructure, he said, the Public Works Department has taken rapid steps to improve the roads in the State. Various city improvement projects, Kerala State Transport Project Phase II with World Bank assistance, State road improvement programmes are some of the ambitious projects in this direction, he said.

These timely initiatives have a clear focus towards modern technologies, superior construction techniques and efficient management of projects, the Minister said.

basheer.kpm@thehindu.co.in

sajeevkumar.v@thehindu.co.in

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