'India emerging player in Biotech'

Bangalore, Jun 06: The United Kingdom, which has a strong base for life sciences and Bio-sciences, will offer a greater opportunity to work in tandem with the Indian scientists who have won accolodes at the global level in the field of Biotechnology and its related areas, Sir, Michael Arthur, British High Commissioner to India, said here today.

Addressing newsmen here today Sir Arthur, heading a 17-member British delegation to participate in three-day Bangalore Bio 2006, beginning from tomorrow, said that his country which had the largest Bio market in the entire European Union had attracted over 60 per cent of Indian investment in the sector in the region.

He said that his country could offer India to access the many research and partnership opportunities in UK in the areas of acadamic research and also application of the results for commercial exploitation.

He said that eventhough the UK had one per cent of the world's population, had invested 5.5 per cent of global resources for R and D in the field of life sciences, bio science and also agricultural sector and has developed tremendous expertise in the related subject.

He said that his country was sending a strong 17-member team to participate in the Bio-2006 in recognition of India's contribution for the development of the Biotechnology sector.

Exhorting that there is an ample scope for building relationship and partnership with the UK and India's investors in bio, life and agro sciences he said that his country was the ideal gateway for Indian investors seeking to go global in the related sector. He said that his country which had largest concentration of science parks in the entire Europe such as the clusters in Longon, Scotland, Cambridge and Oxford would offer enviable economic conditions, a clear and fair regulatory regime and one of Europe's top venture capital markets.

He said that the UK delegation to Bangalore Bio-2006 includes Dr Simon Best, chairman of BIA, Dr Cripsin Kirkman, CEO, Emerging Technologies Network and Dr Nermeen Varawala of PRA international.

The delegation also includes representtives from the London Stock Exchange and those marketing the different regions from Longon, Scotland, NorthEast the Midlands and Wales.

Replying to a question, Sir Arthur has acknowledged that the Indian Government has slashed the Import Duty on many products in accordance with the WTO regime in the Bio sector and hoped that it would give further impetus to bilateral trade in the related areas of mutual interest.

UNI