Britain wants more partnership with India: Simon

Kolkata, Sep 10 (UNI) India and its business community were held in high esteem in the UK with West Bengal holding the centrestage in the ever increasing trade between the two countries, British Deputy High Commissoner to Eastern India Simon Wilson today said.

Addressing an interactive session with the business leaders at Bengal Chambers of Commerce and Industries, he said India had emerged the third largest trading country with the UK as bilateral trade went up by 30 per cent at 10 billion dollar in the past two years.

Mr Simon said India was the third biggest investor in the UK in the last fiscal with 73 projects, including Tata Steel-Corus deal and United Breweries business in whiskey of Scotland brands.

Similarly, the UK was also the third largest investor in India with 10 billion Pound, he said adding the Vodafone deal was the largest.

" More than 60 per cent Indian investment in Europe goes to the UK with nearly 600 companies now based there, and Kolkata-based companies are amongst the successful Indian investors in the UK last year, " Mr Simon said.

Mr Simon said Kolkata-based companies had established a presence in the UK over the past few years and among them were Tata Tea, the Apeejay Group and IFGL, adding ten more companies were now negotiating to set up in the UK in the next 12 months.

He said HSBC will soon open its second contact centre in Kolkata, employing 5,000 people, serving customers in the UK, US and other countries.

He said though West Bengal started late but presently backed by a determined government and Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee it was cathing up fast.

West Bengal enjoyed advantage over other states because of its relatively low attrition rate and a pool of talented people, Mr Simon opined.

He, however, said India would have to address several chalenges and the UK wanted to share with it to minimise those.

UNI