India asks UK to open doors to its IT professionals

Oct 29: Britain has promised to look into suggestions to allow more Indian IT professionals into UK to build up a strategic partnership in the information technology field.

The suggestion was made by the President, Mrs Pratibha Patil, to the British Prime Minister, Mr Gordon Brown, during a meeting here at the 10, Downing Street on Wednesday night.

Mrs Patil stressed on the need for greater participation of Indian IT professionals in UK, which Mr Brown assured to look into,said the foreign ministry officials accompanying the President.

The US and other major EU nations have allowed greater flow of Indian IT professionals, which has led to a boom in the sector in these countries and Mr Patil's suggestion was to ensure that Britain did not lag behind.

Mr Brown said that India-UK cooperation in IT was a very important area for the growing bilateral strategic partnership, officials said. The 30-minute long meeting between the two leaders was focused on issues of bilateral cooperation in economy and education.

Mr Brown told the President that business ties between the two countries were flourishing with a large number of Indian companies now listed on London Stock Exchange.