At the prestigious Future Frontiers Forum hosted by the India Global Forum (IGF) in London, UK Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation, Lord Patrick Vallance, hailed India’s rapid rise as a global science and technology leader. Speaking at the Science Museum, Vallance emphasized the need for deeper UK-India collaboration across frontier technologies, talent mobility, and innovation ecosystems.
🌐 “India Is an Increasingly Powerful Player”
“India has its focus areas, we have ours—now we need to create opportunities across those sectors,” said Vallance, calling for scientist-to-scientist partnerships beyond government-level ties.
He also revealed that the UK’s upcoming Industrial Strategy, set to be released in the coming weeks, will outline eight priority sectors for bilateral cooperation.
🤝 UK-India Innovation Synergy
The forum spotlighted the UK-India Science and Innovation Partnership Roadmap, with a focus on AI, healthtech, cleantech, quantum computing, and advanced materials.
- Imperial College’s Bengaluru hub, backed by $170 million in joint funding, will drive collaborative R&D.
- Zypp Electric, an Indian startup, won the Clean Tech Award, showcasing India’s strength in sustainable innovation.
🧬 Health Innovation and Talent Exchange
British health expert Lord Ara Darzi praised India’s affordable, tech-driven healthcare models, suggesting they could help reform the UK’s NHS.
“India’s transformative health solutions and COVID-era support show the intellectual and production power we must now collaborate with,” he said.
🇮🇳 India’s Strategic Vision
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal highlighted the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as a catalyst for innovation, stating:
“Innovation in India happens at a fraction of global costs. The FTA proves we are friends, allies, and ready to build the future together”.
Stay tuned for updates on the UK’s Industrial Strategy and India’s global innovation footprint.
