'Britain, India must forge bold relationship to shape new world'

India and Britain must stand together and face future challenges in shaping a new world, former Union Minister Ashwani Kumar told an audience at the University of Birmingham.

"Britain and India must stand together in defence of threatened human freedoms and for establishing a global order and the equalising force of law. We must build on our long history for a common future -- it is still possible to be proud nationalists and globalists," Kumar said in his speech.

Introduced by University of Birmingham Chancellor Lord Bilimoria of Chelsea, Ashwani Kumar delivered a keynote lecture on Tuesday night in an event jointly hosted by the Universities of Birmingham and Nottingham, said a University of Birmingham statement.

Kumar's address focussed on complementary objectives and interests between the UK and India, as well as the need for a common resolve to meet challenges to freedom and democracy throughout the world.

He outlined key areas of future co-operation, including economic growth, nuclear and renewable energy, counter-terrorism and biotechnology.

Kumar added that the UK-India joint statement that followed the London summit talks of November 2015 had set the tone for a British-Indian relationship to tackle the challenges of the 21st century together; jointly benefiting from an Indian economy predicted to be the largest in the world by 2050 in terms of purchasing power parity.

"British universities, such as Birmingham and Nottingham, have a major contribution to make. They must forge relationships with Indian universities and develop collaborative research frameworks that will help to secure great visibility for universities in India," said Kumar, the statement said.

--IANS

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