Tag: India visit

Duke of Edinburgh visits India

His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh arrives in India today [2nd February] on a three-day visit, with a focus on championing young people and promoting the benefits of non-formal education across the world.

His Royal Highness will travel to Mumbai and Delhi to promote The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, delivered as The International Award for Young People (IAYP) in India: a non-formal education and learning framework supporting young people to find their purpose, place and passion in the world. Since its inception in India in 1962, the Award has helped more than 150,000 students from 325 schools and educational institutions across the country.

In addition to meeting with members of the government, Prince Edward is scheduled to undertake varied engagements spanning the breadth of the living bridge that connects the UK and India. This includes discussions with Indian education and business leaders and philanthropists, and joining events that celebrate our shared love for sport and the arts.  

Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India, said: “I am delighted to welcome His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh to India. The visit is an important reminder of the vibrant and enduring links between our countries, including through a 1.7 million-strong Indian diaspora in the UK.

“The UK-India partnership is helping drive solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues. By investing in our youth today and ensuring they have all the opportunities to succeed, we can continue to build on the shared vision of a better tomorrow.”

Kapil Bhalla, National Director, The International Award for Young People, India said: “We are deeply honoured to welcome His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh to India as part of his continued commitment to inspiring young people worldwide.

“His visit reaffirms the transformative impact of The International Award for Young People in empowering the youth of India to realise their full potential. His Royal Highness’ presence is a testament to the enduring legacy of this programme and its ability to connect communities across the globe.”

At the conclusion of the visit to India, The Duke will travel on to join The Duchess of Edinburgh in visiting Nepal.

Chancellor heads to G20 meeting to reaffirm support for Ukraine

  • Chancellor arrives in India for G20 meetings one year after Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine
  • He will attend meeting of G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors alongside Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey, showing shared focus on tackling global economic issues.
  • He will also attend a meeting of the G7 on Thursday
  • The Chancellor will meet with the Indian Finance Minister and a range of senior Indian business leaders to strengthen ties and help the UK on its way to becoming the next Silicon Valley

The Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is today in Bengaluru, India to attend the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in his first visit overseas since taking office.

The meeting comes one year after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine – where the Chancellor will reaffirm the UK’s unwavering support for Ukraine and discuss with other G20 members ways to address issues such as elevated global inflationary pressures and the instability in energy and food prices that are being exacerbated by the war.

It follows the latest move on behalf of the G7, the European Union and Australia, who via a Price Cap Coalition, set caps on the price of seaborne Russian oil products effective from 5 February 2023. High-value Russian exports such as diesel and gasoline are capped at $100 while lower-value products such as fuel oil are capped at $45. The UK phased out the import of Russian oil and oil products last year.

The Chancellor is attending the G20 alongside the Governor of the Bank of England Andrew Bailey. Both are focused on tackling inflationary pressures in the UK. Inflation is the first of 5 Prime Minister priorities, with the Prime Minister looking to see inflation halve this year on its way back to the target.

The Chancellor and Bank of England Governor will also join a meeting of G7 Finance Ministers on Thursday.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said: “The UK continues to stand firm in our support for Ukraine with significant military and humanitarian assistance. The sooner there is sustainable peace in Ukraine and an end to this horrific war, the sooner we can address the global economic fallout – diminishing Putin’s leverage over the UK and our friends.”

The trip also aims to strengthen the already productive UK/India economic relationship and deepen ties to increase new investment and bringing new jobs to the UK. With its rich reputation for a cutting-edge tech industry, the Chancellor will be meeting Indian tech CEOs and founders in Bengaluru to explore investment opportunities and how links with India can help the UK become the world’s next Silicon Valley, building on our existing $1 trillion (£827 billion) tech industry.

The Chancellor added: “I want the UK to be the world’s next Silicon Valley – this is an ambition within reach thanks to our status as a global financial powerhouse and home to world class universities and research institutions.

“We already have a $1 trillion tech industry, but we want to go further to create jobs and wealth across the UK. To help us get there, we need to deepen investment connections with like-minded countries around the world – starting with our Indian friends who are fast becoming an economic superpower in their own right.”

India is projected to be the world’s third largest economy by 2050, with a tech industry that generated US$227 billion (£188 billion) in revenue in FY2022. It is already a significant economic partner for the UK, and the Chancellor is seeking to promote greater collaboration between the two countries.

The Chancellor’s work at the G20 will also contribute to the government’s priorities to halve inflation this year to ease the cost of living and give people financial security; grow the economy, create better-paid jobs and opportunity right across the country; and make sure our national debt is falling so that we can secure the future our of public services.