New Delhi: Recognising the increasing role of technology in national security and economic development, the Prime Ministers of India and the United Kingdom are launching a new ‘Technology Security Initiative’ (TSI) to elevate the strategic partnership between the two countries to the next level, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday.
The TSI builds upon the ambitious bilateral cooperation agenda set out in the India-UK Roadmap 2030, and will bring into sharper collaboration in critical and emerging technologies (CET) across priority sectors. This is Lammy's first official visit since the assumption of office, when Labour won a by a huge margin in the July 4 elections to end 14 years of Conservative rule.
The Role Of TSI: It will reinforce existing collaborative efforts in various technologies, broaden the mandates of existing mechanisms, and establish new mechanisms for cooperation. The TSI will be coordinated by the National Security Advisors (NSAs) of both countries through existing and new dialogues.
As per MEA, the NSAs will set the priority areas and identify interdependencies for cooperation on critical and emerging tech that will, in turn, help build meaningful technology value chain partnerships between our two countries.
The progress made on the initiative will be reviewed on a half yearly basis at Deputy NSA level. We will also set up a bilateral mechanism led by India’s Ministry of External Affairs and the UK government for promotion of trade in critical and emerging technologies, including resolution of relevant licensing or regulatory issues.
Both sides are proud of the wide range of existing collaborations between UK and Indian institutions in this domain; and seek to build on this strong foundation to collectively shape a fourth industrial revolution that improves our citizen’s health, wellbeing and prosperity, in ways which support democracy and peace.
According to MEA, both countries view this Technology Security Initiative as a platform and a strong signal of intent to build and grow sustainable and tangible partnerships across priority tech sectors.
India,UK will further explore how to build a deeper strategic partnership between UK and Indian research and technology centres and Incubators; and enhance cooperation across UK and India tech and innovation ecosystems. We will create a channel for industry and academia to help shape the TSI and build a joint industry and academia ecosystem that increases the volume and quality of cooperation.
Building on the shared values, as part of the Strategic Tech Policy Dialogue, the UK and India will hold a dialogue on global tech governance, seeking to coordinate positions on digital technical standards, and support the multi-stakeholder model of internet governance.
Both sides will seek to expand this dialogue to include Internet Governance issues; and promotion of multi-linguism through Internationalised Domain Names (IDNs).
To expand and deepen the technology security partnership, the UK and India will launch new bilateral initiatives and accelerate bilateral cooperation between all relevant stakeholders within government, technology and research centres, industry and academia, across – but not limited to the following domains or activities within each domain.
Telecoms: The UK and India will build a new and enhanced Future Telecoms Partnership in order to:
- Collaborate on joint research on future telecoms, focussed on Open RAN systems, testbed linkups, telecoms security, spectrum innovation, software and systems architecture.
- Launch a partnership between UK’s SONIC Labs (a joint programme between the Digital Catapult and Ofcom), India’s Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) and DOT's Telecoms Startup Mission. This will aim to boost security, resilience and performance of telecom networks and development of totally disaggregated Open RAN, including through collaboration on approaches to testing and development of products and solutions.
- Explore collaboration between UK and India researchers in global design and development of next generation telecommunication technologies, and promoting 6G technology engagement, such as between the UK Telecoms Innovation Network (UKTIN), University of York, University College London, University of Surrey and India’s Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC) and 6G (Tera Hertz) test beds for 6G R&D initiatives.
- Deepen policy and regulatory exchanges to develop a bilateral framework for collaboration on telecoms diversification, telecoms security, telecoms standards, telecom equipment and use of spectrum.
- Facilitate regular trade and research missions between UK and Indian telecom companies to encourage engagement between our respective telecom providers and business communities, with a view to stimulating commercial opportunities linked to existing networks as well as the integration of advanced technologies and practices in future telecoms infrastructure.
- Encourage pilot projects by Indian and UK companies in each other’s 4G/5G/6G stack and enterprise connectivity, connected devices, edge computing and adoption of green and sustainable telecommunications and their scale up in both countries.
- Develop a mechanism for collaboration between the startup ecosystems of the two countries.
- Launch a joint UK-India research programme on Future Telecoms in 2024 with support from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the International Science Partnerships Fund, the Indian Department of Telecoms (DoT) and Department of Science and Technology.
- To action the above, we will expand the mandate of the Telecommunications pillar under our existing Strategic Tech Dialogue. This work will be coordinated by India’s Department of Telecoms and the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
2. Critical Minerals: Our countries will expand our critical minerals collaboration; driving forward policy exchanges on both countries’ critical mineral strategies, working together to improve supply chain resilience, exploring possible research and development and technology partnerships along the complete critical minerals value chain (including exploration, processing and manufacturing); and sharing best practices on ESG standards. We will also:
- Develop a roadmap for cooperation, and establish a UK-India "critical minerals” community of academics, innovators and industry. The two sides will set up an Observatory led by the University of Cambridge, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad and IIT Bombay to provide a mechanism for sharing data on critical minerals supply chains and flows; and launch innovation pilots in partnership with the UK’s Centre for Process Innovation.
- Explore leveraging these partnerships to develop economically feasible and environmentally sustainable extraction technologies for identified critical minerals and to develop capacity building programs in critical mineral processing, data management and mining finance.
- Establish collaboration between leading Indian research institutes including IIT Bombay, ICSR IIT Madras, CSIR - Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, CSIR- National Metallurgical Laboratory, Bhubaneshwar City Knowledge Cluster, University of Cambridge Institute for Manufacturing and University of Birmingham Centre for Strategic Elements for Critical Minerals (BCSECM) on extracting critical minerals from end of life waste stream products through recycling. Explore launching a joint Critical Minerals Recycling Centre in India, including but not limited to advanced military waste recycling.
- Develop collaboration between the British Geological Survey (BGS) and Geological Survey of India (GSI), along with IREL (India) Limited. This will include exploration of strategies, workflows and expertise for 3D geological modelling; along with other options for both sides to work together to leverage critical mineral resources. This collaborative effort would enhance Rare Earth Elements (REE) exploration methods by incorporating geophysical characterisation, identification and assessment of potential REE deposits.
- Sharing scientific information/knowledge, exploring opportunities for co-developing technologies and exchanging scientific expertise in offshore mining in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) area.
- This work will be overseen by India’s Ministry of Mines and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
3. Semiconductors: We will work towards a broad UK-India semiconductor partnership, a statement by the MEA said. It also said that the activities will leverage the countries’ individual strengths and incentives; and explore mutually beneficial R&D focused on strategic issues such as supply chain resilience collaboration, skills exchanges and hardware security. The partnership will seek opportunities for:
- Facilitating academic and industrial R&D collaboration, including in chip design and IP, compound semiconductors, advanced packaging and innovative systems, with a focus on strategically important applications such as powering net zero, advanced telecommunications and cybersecurity; supporting semiconductor firms to build closer relationships, including in manufacturing and product development.
- Sharing best practice and knowledge exchange programmes on workforce development, to equip the workforce with the right technical skills and expertise.
- Facilitating trade missions between UK and Indian semiconductor companies to boost trade and investment flows.
- Encouraging further integration of supply chains for manufacturing and designing semiconductor chips and wafers; and promoting business ventures for manufacture and design of products in the semiconductor value chain by Indian companies in partnership with UK companies.
- Enhancing bilateral collaboration, including through expert to expert consultation, with a view to strengthening the resilience of semiconductor supply chains - for example, addressing challenges around raw materials, components, design and devices. We will also pursue this collaboration in international fora.
- To action the above, India’s Ministry of Electronics and IT and the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology will expand the mandate under our existing Strategic Tech Dialogue.
4. Artificial Intelligence (AI): Together, the UK and India will work towards safe, responsible, human-centric and trustworthy AI, which can promote global good and strengthen interoperability between our AI governance frameworks. We will also:
- Work together more closely in key multilateral fora, such as the Group of Twenty (G20), Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI), and United Nations (UN). Both sides welcome the outcomes of the UK’s AI Safety Summit and India’s GPAI Summit, and will ensure that India’s 2024 GPAI Chairmanship delivers successful outcomes.
- Establish a mechanism for collaboration and policy exchange on applications of AI.
- Facilitate trade missions between UK and Indian industry, developing critical technologies with enterprise applications.
- Equip our AI researchers, practitioners, policymakers and industry professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to detect, mitigate and challenge bias in AI algorithms, through joint bias detection challenges, creation of a platform to co-develop and test innovative solutions for identifying and mitigating bias in AI models, and co-hosting a conference on AI bias.
- Support new partnerships between UK and India research organisations alongside existing joint programmes using AI to tackle global challenges, such as our Weather for Climate Science Services Partnership and the UK-India Education Research Initiative.
- Build on the work being completed by IIT Madras, IISc Bangalore, University of Southampton and the University of Oxford to provide specific outcome-orientated recommendations, which will provide valuable building blocks for the creation of a joint Centre for Responsible AI composed of British and Indian experts in academia and industry.
- Explore opportunities for knowledge sharing around AI, such as but not limited to machine learning models, multi domain applications and data governance principles and mechanisms.
- Promote cooperation between AI centres in the UK such as The Alan Turing Institute and Indian institutions. Commission a group of experts to deliver a report on specific areas for targeted collaboration to take forward further development of AI and its applications across sectors.
- To action the above, we will expand the mandate of our existing Strategic Tech Dialogue. between India’s Ministry of Electronics and IT and the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
5. Quantum: The UK and India recognise that quantum is an important area for discussion. We will respond to the rapidly changing technological landscape by establishing a high-level dialogue to gain an in depth understanding of our national quantum strategies, to shape the contours of possible future research and industry and collaboration opportunities between our two countries. Both countries will also support:
Joint hackathons in quantum algorithms and solutions for automotive, life sciences, chemicals, and greenhouse gas domains.
Entrepreneurship training for translating quantum capabilities into business applications.
Academic/industry scoping exchanges on skills development led by the UK’s Imperial College London / Orca, India’s Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT) and Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC).
We will expand the scope of existing Science and Innovation dialogue between the two countries in Quantum. This will be taken forward by India’s Department of Science and Technology, and the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
6. Biotechnology and HealthTech: The UK and India will strengthen biotechnology cooperation. We will launch a high-level partnership on engineering biology, with the aim of sharing knowledge to help facilitate research advances. This partnership will:
Strengthen biotechnology cooperation. This will include genomics, genomic prediction and precision medicine, cell and gene therapy, biotherapeutics (including bio-manufacturing), smart bio-sensors and bio-electronics, biomaterials and bio-fabrication in line with respective ethical and legal frameworks and requirements of both countries. We will exchange insights as appropriate on AI tools, such as machine learning, for these activities.
Support partnerships between our research institutions, as well as co-developing and evaluating affordable healthcare measures, including low cost diagnostics for early detection of important diseases, and novel preventive and therapeutic interventions, in the context of wider investments in diagnostics and other technologies. · Share expertise and best practice on responsible innovations and standards in biotechnology and bioinformatics.
The Department of Biotechnology will partner with the UK Centre for Process Innovation on biotechnology, and with the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Research on Femtech.
This work will be taken forward by India’s Department of Biotechnology and the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
7. Advanced Materials: The UK and India will establish a high-level dialogue on advanced materials, to identify specific R&D collaboration on materials/composites and collaboration on research, responsible innovation and standards in Advanced Materials. We will:
Aim to enhance the development of technologies for materials/ composites focused on bringing up the lower TRL (Technology Readiness Level) technologies to higher TRL and CRL (Commercial Readiness Level)
Include collaboration on specific types of materials, such as novel alloys and powders.
Build on UK-India research and innovation partnerships focussed on industrial sustainability; including power electronics, machines and drives; scoping joint work on advanced materials for extreme environments, alongside sustainable materials and manufacturing for transforming foundation industries, in particular glass, paper, cements, ceramics, chemicals and metals.
Develop collaboration between the University of Manchester National Graphene Institute, the University of Cambridge Graphene Centre and the Indian Institute for Science Bengaluru Centre for Nanoscience and Engineering on advanced 2-Dimensional and atomically-thin materials and nanotechnology, which will include scoping joint research ventures, facilitating student and start up exchanges, and opening up access to respective world leading laboratories and prototyping facilities.
We will explore the joint steps that we can take on qualification and certification. This work will be taken forward by India’s Department of Science and Technology and the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
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