Highlights
- Narayan describes UK as among global top three AI destinations alongside US and China.
- UK recorded £24 bn investment in AI companies last year with £28 bn in infrastructure spending announced.
- Minister highlights healthcare, life sciences and responsible AI governance as key collaboration areas.
The Bihar-born Labour MP from Wales, who made history as the first Welsh member of Parliament of Indian heritage, is on a two-city tour covering Bengaluru and Delhi to strengthen bilateral technology ties and pitch Britain as a prime destination for Indian AI firms.
"A lot of the big AI labs are in the US or in China. The opportunity for the UK and India is to become the best places in the world for the adoption of AI; not necessarily just the invention of AI," Narayan told PTI.
Bilateral AI opportunities
The 36-year-old minister identified healthcare, life sciences and responsible AI governance as priority collaboration areas. "India has got a huge population and a large-scale, innovative healthcare sector.
The UK has a world-leading life sciences sector anchored by the NHS – huge exchanges to be done in learning there," he said.
Narayan highlighted that both nations share similar values in developing responsible AI standards, adding that frontier AI research and semiconductor development represented a second major opportunity for collaboration.
Pitching Britain to Indian investors, Narayan said "The UK should be on top of their mind because it is one of the top three AI places in the world. We have more unicorns than France and Germany combined; by far the biggest tech ecosystem in Europe."
Investment and talent
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology data showed £24 bn invested in UK AI companies last year, with businesses subsequently announcing £28 bn in AI infrastructure spending.
The minister highlighted Britain's Global Talent Visa as a "concierge service" helping tech talent from India accelerate their processing in Britain.
"This is all about making sure that the best talent in the world, a lot of it in India, feels that Britain is truly open to exceptional AI talent," he said.
On the India-UK free trade agreement concluded last July and moving towards implementation, Narayan described the deal with a "rapidly growing economy" like India as Britain "chasing the future, spreading opportunity, and doing it with countries that share our values."
"The deepest connection between the UK and India is that both our people relentlessly chase the future," he added.
