India and the UK can help shape a new technology age based on the principles of freedom and openness and peace, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said.
“Over the coming decade, we will continue to deepen our bonds on technology and in other areas as we set out in the 2030 India-UK road map,” Johnson said, virtually delivering his special address at the Global Technology Summit jointly organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and Carnegie India.
Double-edged sword
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in his address, pointed out that technology is a double-edged sword to be handled carefully. “It has opened up new vistas of progress just as it has helped create greater vulnerabilities and threats. A recurring theme in global governance has been to find the right balance,” he said.
The Minister said that mastering the key domains of technology has now become an expression of power and influence in a world that is more globalised and technology driven.
‘Natural partners’
India and the UK are natural partners with their shared culture and innovation and our entrepreneurial spirit, Johnson said.
He pointed out that the two countries were already working together on many projects ranging from the UK-India partnership on 5G and telecom to UK start-ups working with Indian giants such as Tata and Godrej on green technology that will help power both countries to net zero.
Hybrid event
The summit is a three-day hybrid event on geo-technology based on ‘global meets local’. Discussions on issues such as cryptocurrencies, encryption, vaccine supply chains, cloud computing, green technology, digital payments and cyber security will take place over 50 sessions with more than 100 speakers on December 14-16.
Johnson was positive about the agreement reached with Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this year on the two countries working closely on technology and rules that will help to shape the coming age.
“It is India, the land of the mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan, that is powering ahead with new technology and where there is so much brilliant talent,” he said, adding that the UK was “turbo-charging” its plans for positioning itself as a science and tech super power.
“We are already a world beating tech hub, attracting more investments than anywhere else in Europe, and we are only one in three countries worldwide with more than 100 unicorns,” he said. The other two are the US and China.