Tag: Alex Ellis

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It’s Atithi Devo Bhava in India: UK Envoy

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Sunday concluded his two-day-long visit to India after attending a successful G20 Leaders Summit in New Delhi…reports Asian Lite News

British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis on Sunday congratulated India for an ambitious, inclusive, determined and action-oriented G20 Presidency, said the country has “once again shown Atithi Devo Bhava” meaning a guest is equivalent to God.

“Congratulations to the G20 Presidency and the G20 Summit which has been ambitious, inclusive, determined and action-oriented. A huge thank you to all of those involved, to our Indian hosts who once again have shown Atithi Devo Bhava,” the British High Commissioner to India said.

He tweeted: “Congratulations to the @g20org and @amitabhk87, Thank you to @RishiSunak & Mrs Murty for the visit. A G20 Summit of ambition, inclusion and action #G20India #G20Bharat.”

Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Sunday concluded his two-day-long visit to India after attending a successful G20 Leaders Summit in New Delhi.

Sunak who arrived in the national capital on Friday, accompanied by wife Akshata Murty earlier today offered prayers at the BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham temple before paying his respects to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.

Earlier on Friday, Sunak had in an interaction with ANI, called himself “a proud Hindu” and said he wished to visit the Mandir during his stay in the capital.

In a significant announcement, the UK PM also announced a USD 2 billion to the UN-backed Green Climate Fund – the biggest single funding commitment the UK has made to help the world tackle climate change.

The UK will contribute USD 2 billion to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), which was established by 194 countries following the Copenhagen Accord at COP15, which was established by 194 countries following the Copenhagen Accord at COP15. The GCF is the largest global fund dedicated to supporting developing countries to reduce global emissions and help communities adapt to the effects of climate change.

“Today’s pledge represents a 12.7 per cent increase on the UK’s previous contribution to the GCF for the period of 2020-2023, which was itself a doubling of our initial funding to establish the fund in 2014,” according to a statement.

During the G20 Summit, the UK PM called on leaders to work together ahead of the COP28 Summit this December to both reduce their countries’ own carbon emissions and support vulnerable economies to deal with the consequences of climate change.

The UK has led international efforts to help developing countries tackle climate change, including by pledging to spend 11.6 billion pounds on international climate finance between 2021 and 2026.

This announcement marks a “major contribution towards this commitment and follows the Prime Minister’s announcement at COP27 that the UK would triple our funding for climate adaptation,” according to a statement.

The Group of 20 nations had on Saturday adopted a declaration that included reiterating its commitment to scale up sustainable finance to help developing countries reduce their carbon footprints. (ANI)“The UK is stepping up and delivering on our climate commitments, both by decarbonising our own economy and supporting the world’s most vulnerable to deal with the impact of climate change,” Sunak said in his address to G20 leaders. (ANI)

ALSO READ-‘India’s G20 Presidency Set Path For World’

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UK invites India’s young women to be ‘High Commissioner for a Day’

To mark the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11, the British High Commission is offering young Indian women a chance to spend a day as one of the UK’s top diplomats.

The annual ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ competition, with focus on Sustainable Development Goals, will provide an opportunity to Indian women, aged 18 to 23, to share their strengths with the world, the British High Commission in New Delhi announced on Friday.

“The Sustainable Development Goals push for a better planet for everyone, everywhere; just as India is doing with its G20 Presidency. I’m always amazed by the talent spread across this country and have no doubt that India’s brilliant youth will lead the drive for a better future in the years to come,” Alex Ellis, British High Commissioner to India, said.

In a statement, Ellis said that the full potential of the world’s youth to solve the world’s biggest challenges cannot be achieved without girls and women.

“The International Day of the Girl Child is an important moment to include and inspire. I’m looking forward to seeing numerous fantastic entries,” he added.

To apply, participants must record and upload a one-minute video answering: ‘How can young people help lead the way in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?’

The video has to be shared on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn by tagging ‘@UKinIndia’ and using the hashtag ‘#DayOfTheGirl’.

The entries — only one per participant — can be submitted by filling an online form available on the High Commission website by August 18.

The High Commission also announced that videos exceeding time limit and having plagiarised content will result in immediate disqualification.

A jury at the British High Commission will then select the winner, who will be announced on @UKinIndia social media channels.

The High Commissioner for a Day programme will take place in-person in Delhi, and in case the winner is not from Delhi/NCR, the High Commission said will fund the travel to Delhi as part of the competition.

In 2022, Jagriti Yadav became British High Commissioner for a day

The British High Commission has been organising the ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ competition annually since 2017.

Last year’s winner of the competition was 20-year-old Jagriti Yadav from Lucknow who experienced a broad range of diplomatic activities that included leading meetings with diverse stakeholders, chairing discussions and attending several events during the day.

She met Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Meenakshi Lekhi, the Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin, and the Executive Chairman of Wipro Rishad Premji.

Jagriti also launched a book honouring 75 Indian Women in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) alongside Professor Ajay Kumar Sood, the Principal Scientific Adviser to the government of India.

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G20: UK lauds ‘new India’

British High Commissioner says G20 Presidency an opportunity to tell the story of “new India”

UK has reiterated its support to India’s G20 Presidency, this time hailing the rise of a “new India.” British High Commissioner to India Alexander Ellis said that India’s G20 Presidency is an “opportunity” to tell the story of a “new and modern India,” while also emphasizing that it has the potential to tackle some of the ‘world’s big problems’.

Ellis highlighted that India has the convincing power to bring together the fractured group of countries to work its way through and tackle the problems of today. “During India’s G20 Presidency, Amitabh Kant as G20 Sherpa is very ambitious and that flows through Prime Minister Narendra Modi to try and tackle some of the world’s big problems for example development and how you do development in technology in future and how does technology play a role in development,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had described India’s agenda at the G-20 as “inclusive, ambitious, action-oriented”. He added, “During our G-20 Presidency, we shall present India’s experiences, learnings and models as possible templates for others, particularly the developing world.

Underscoring the potential of India in finding answers to the current challenges, Ellis said, “It is an opportunity to tell the story of India and the story of new India and modern India. So, I am glad that India has got the presidency and we will support it absolutely to try and find answers to those questions but its a tough ask there is a high ambition, it’s a tough to ask at the same time.”

Alexander Ellis said that India is a powerful country and has the ability to talk to many different nations, which he stressed is “extremely useful” at the moment. He emphasised that the world is facing a number of problems, including climate change sustainability, and public health.

India holds the Presidency of the G20 from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023.

“I am really pleased that India has the Presidency of the G20. You had Harsh Shringla the other day because India is a powerful country, an increasingly powerful country,” the High Commissioner said.

Speaking about India’s G20 Presidency, Ellis said, “It is a country which has the ability to talk to many different countries and I think that is extremely useful at the moment because you are in a world in which there are huge global problems, we talked about climate changes sustainability, we talked about public health as well.”

For India, the G20 Presidency also marks the beginning of “Amritkaal”, the 25-year period beginning from the 75th anniversary of its independence on 15 August 2022, leading up to the centenary of its independence, towards a futuristic, prosperous, inclusive and developed society, distinguished by a human-centric approach at its core. The 43 Heads of Delegations- the largest ever in G20-will be participating in the final New Delhi Summit in September next year.

“In a divided world and in the era of geopolitical competition, you are having to do with big problems, where you have a fractured group of countries but India I think has the convincing power to bring together those countries to try and work its way through,” he added.

The G20 Logo draws inspiration from the vibrant colours of India’s national flag – saffron, white and green, and blue. It juxtaposes planet Earth with the lotus, India’s national flower that reflects growth amid challenges. The Earth reflects India’s pro-planet approach to life, one in perfect harmony with nature. Below the G20 logo is “Bharat”, written in the Devanagari script.

The theme of India’s G20 Presidency – “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “One Earth * One Family * One Future” – is drawn from the ancient Sanskrit text of the Maha Upanishad. Essentially, the theme affirms the value of all life – human, animal, plant, and microorganisms – and their interconnectedness on the planet Earth and in the wider universe. The theme also spotlights LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), with its associated, environmentally sustainable and responsible choices, both at the level of individual lifestyles as well as national development, leading to globally transformative actions resulting in a cleaner, greener and bluer future.

G20 meetings will not be limited only to New Delhi or other metropolises. Drawing inspiration from its G20 Presidency theme of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’-“One Earth One Family One Future, as well as the Prime Minister’s vision of an ‘all of government” approach, India will host over 200 meetings in over 50 cities across 32 different workstreams, and would have the opportunity to offer G20 delegates and guests a glimpse of India’s rich cultural heritage and provide them with a unique Indian experience.

The first Finance and Central Bank Deputies (FCBD) meeting under the G20 Presidency of India held in Bengaluru recently. (ANI Photo)

The Presidency is also a chance for the G20 Secretariat to provide the country’s citizens with the unique opportunity be a part of India’s G20 story.

The Indian G20 presidency has also planned a year-long India Experience’ for G20 member countries, special invitees, and others.

The G20 summit would be qualitatively different from any of the previous multilateral summits that India has hosted.

None of the previous summits had the world’s largest economies assembled in one place nor did they have the entire P-5 (permanent members of the UN Security Council) represented.

In that sense, the G-20 summit would be the first of its kind in Indian history.

The G20 presidency is an opportunity to present the diversity that is India to the outside world. (ANI)

ALSO READ: EU envoy calls India’s G20 Presidency ‘an influential voice’

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Ties with India grew stronger in 2022, says UK envoy

In the video message, posted on his Twitter account, Alex Ellis says 2022 was a great year for India and Britain, and this year UK and India have made their relationship more strong…reports Asian Lite News

UK Ambassador to India Alex Ellis wished India a “Happy New Year” and said that the relationship between the two countries has become stronger this year.

In the video message, posted on his Twitter account, Ellis said, “2022 was a great year for India and the UK, and this year UK and India have made their relationship more strong.” Talking about the economical relationship, Ellis said that India and UK have launched the Free Trade Agreement negotiations this year.

On December 16, India and UK held technical discussions across 11 policy areas over 28 sessions during the sixth round of talks for an FTA.

In a joint outcome statement on the UK-India sixth round of FTA negotiations, the UK government’s Department of International Trade said that detailed draft treaty text discussions were held across the 11 policy areas.

“Secondly, on climate change and sustainability, we have been supporting India’s rapid transition toward a green economy for ex: investment in the Mahindra EV Company. Thirdly, on health, building on the great work of Covishield, we now have Ebola vaccines manufactured in India with UK technology going to Africa,” Ellis said.

“On Defence and Security, we are increasing cooperation particularly at sea and in cyberspace to ensure that there is a free and open Indo-Pacific,” he added.

He further said that India and UK have reduced the time for visas. An e-Visa for British nationals visiting India will also come out.

On December 5, High Commissioner of India to the UK Vikram K Doraiswami announced that India will resume the e-Visa facility for UK citizens travelling to the country.

Doraiswami said that the service will be made available to the citizens forthwith and the dates will be announced shortly. He further added that the resumption of the facility will enable friends from the UK to travel far more easily to India.

“And of course, we have a PM whose grandparents came from Punjab called Rishi Sunak. Great year, much to do next year. A great year for the G20 in India,” Ellis said in a video message.

“The journey is still left and I wish everyone a happy new year,” he concluded the video message.

India and Britain launched negotiations for the FTA in January with an aim to conclude talks by Diwali (October 24), but the deadline was missed due to political developments in the UK. There are 26 chapters in the agreement, which include goods, services, investments and intellectual property rights.

Reduction or elimination of customs duty under the pact would help Indian labour-intensive sectors like textiles, leather, gems and jewellery to boost exports in the UK market. The UK is seeking duty concessions in areas like Scotch whiskey and automobiles.

The bilateral trade between the two countries increased to $17.5 billion in 2021-22 compared to $13.2 billion in 2020-21. India’s exports stood at $10.5 billion in 2021-22, while imports were $7 billion.

India’s main exports to the UK include ready-made garments and textiles, gems and jewellery, engineering goods, petroleum and petrochemical products, transport equipment and parts, spices, metal products, machinery and instruments, pharma and marine items.

Major imports include precious and semi-precious stones, ores and metal scraps, engineering goods, professional instruments, non-ferrous metals, chemicals and machinery.

The UK is also a key investor in India. New Delhi attracted foreign direct investment of $1.64 billion in 2021-22. The figure was about $32 billion between April 2000 and March 2022.

In the services sector, the UK is one of the largest markets in Europe for Indian IT services. (ANI)

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On path return to 15-day visa process, says Ellis

Alex Ellis (Picture Credits: Alex Ellis/Twitter)

Allaying fears over delay in visas, Alex Ellis said, “…on’t forget we’ve got good availability in our visa application centres as well.”…reports Asian Lite News

British high commissioner to India on Wednesday said that the UK is on track to process visa applications within standard 15-day period. Alex Ellis, in a video message said: “We are on track to get back to processing India to UK visa applications within our standard of 15 days.”

“As you know the combination of an unprecedented surge in demand for travel from India to the UK combined with the effects of Covid-19 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, meant that our visa processing got well outside of a 15-day working standard,” Alex Ellis said.

“We are back on track,” he asserted informing that Britain has witnessed an unprecedented surge in demand for student visas which was up by 89% from 2021.

“We’re turning right off skilled worker visas very fast. And now we are focusing on visitor visas to get them back inside 15 days,” he said.

Alex Ellis also urged prospective applicants to apply for visas three months in advance informing about applications under the priority and super priority services at various centres.

Allaying fears over delay in visas, Alex Ellis said, “…on’t forget we’ve got good availability in our visa application centres as well.”

Earlier in August, Ellis had issued an advisory for Indian students wishing to study in the UK, informing that the number of student visas granted would be increased soon to break the record of 486,868 visa approvals set in June — a 215% uptick.

Meanwhile, travellers from the United Kingdom are having a difficult time securing visas for India. Most missions across the world have had huge backlogs leading to massive delays after the Covid-19 pandemic shut the world down.

“We understand that there has been difficulty in getting these appointments. We are doing our best to ameliorate the situation,” Ellis said last week.

“Here is what we are doing: First, we are ensuring that more bookings are released on our online booking service and that these appointment modules are not being misused, which has been the case recently. Second, we are ramping up capacity in partnership with our service provider,” he said.

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British envoy hails India’s climate actions

British High Commissioner Alex Ellis said India has already proved that it has the innovation and political will to follow a sustainable development path, reports VISHAL GULATI

Just ahead of nations descending on Glasgow for the UN Climate Change Conference, COP26, with the UK presidency’s key objective as keeping the goal of limiting temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius within reach, British High Commissioner Alex Ellis said India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is already taking impressive climate action — quadrupling wind and solar capacity in the last decade.

India has already proved that it has the innovation and political will to follow a sustainable development path. Also India has a huge opportunity to use new tech to pioneer a clean development path, he said.

In an exclusive interview with IANS in New Delhi just hours before the official start of COP26 with calls for concrete climate action in Glasgow coming from all sectors, the High Commissioner to India said: “We have a packed agenda given that there hasn’t been a COP for two years. Our expectations and aims are driven by science.”

“The international scientific consensus is that the world is running out of time to avert great harm to ourselves and our planet, through climate change. The COP26 summit in Glasgow is our last best chance to avert this, by putting the world on the path to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees.

“That means that globally we need to reach net zero emissions by 2050 — with countries getting there at different speeds according to their stage of development. So as hosts of COP26, we are asking all countries to work together to keep the path to 1.5 degrees alive.”

Laying out what success in Glasgow would look like, he replied: “We are asking all countries to enhance their Nationally Determined Contributions (short-term targets) and to make long-term targets in line with the 2050 goal. For this COP, we also need to flesh out some of the detail of the Paris Agreement on issues such as how carbon markets will operate in the future.”

Believing the developed nations should meet climate finance pledge of $100 billion a year, Ellis, who remembers his time fondly while trekking in the Himalayas and taking in the night sky in the desert near Jaisalmer, said Britain also wants to ensure that countries are supported in adapting to climate change and that developed countries deliver the climate finance and technology flows to support green economic transformation in developing countries.

On the world expectation from India, the diplomat told IANS that India under Modi is already taking impressive climate action — quadrupling wind and solar capacity in the last decade and now setting the 450GW target as well as launching the National Hydrogen Mission.

“Climate action must support development. India has already proved that it has the innovation and political will to follow a sustainable development path. India has already reduced the emissions intensity of its economy by 20 per cent compared to 2005 levels.

“So along with all countries, we are asking India to enhance their greenhouse gas target until 2030 and to set out a long-term strategy in line with the 1.5 degree goal.”

On calls to the developed nations to reduce their emissions, he was categorical in saying, “The developed countries need to set out ambitious targets on climate action, and as the COP Presidency, we are pressing them to do so.”

“India has a huge opportunity — to use new tech to pioneer a clean development path. Climate action must support growth. Most of the infrastructure for energy and other needs that India will need by 2040 is yet to be built.

“India can leapfrog ahead using clean tech to develop, rather than locking into more polluting and ultimately more expensive high carbon systems.”

At the same time, Ellis believes India is already on this path.

Prime Minister Modi’s commitment to install 450GW of renewable energy by 2030 is hugely impressive. “We realise that developed countries too have their role to play and that’s why the UK is pushing for COP26 to deliver the right flows of finance and technology to meet the needs of countries like India.”

To mark a show of leadership, US President Joe Biden will be travelling to Glasgow on November 1 to attend the UN climate summit — a pivotal moment on the road towards a more secure and sustainable future since the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2015.

Also, Modi will be attending the climate talks that is expected to bring more than 120 world leaders together to discuss the best ways of tackling the climate crisis that the UN chief has called for a “massive mobilization” of political will that requires trust among the world’s biggest economies — the G20 — and between developed and developing countries, including emerging economies.

On expectation from the nations to come forward with national plans on cutting greenhouse gas emissions, an optimistic envoy replied: “We have already seen countries like the US and Japan pledging to halve their greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

“The next decade will set a path for the net-zero future vision. The UK last week published its own detailed strategy for how we will meet our net zero by 2050 goal.”

Prime Minister Johnson’s 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution reinstates the UK’s commitment to build back better, support green jobs and accelerate the path to net-zero, he added.

The COP26 is the annual UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties.

This year COP, after missing 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, is being held under the presidency of the UK in Glasgow, Scotland’s biggest city home to nearly 6,00,000 people, from October 31 to November 12.

The climate talks will bring together heads of state, climate experts and campaigners to agree coordinated action to tackle climate change.

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Rajasthan girl becomes British High Commissioner for a day

As per the release, the applicants for this year’s competition were invited to submit a one-minute video answering the question: ‘How can young people best support tackle the global challenge of climate change?’…reports Asian Lite News.

Twenty-year-old Aditi Maheshwari from Rajasthan recently became the British High Commissioner to India for a day.

Maheshwari, who is pursuing her Bachelor’s in Physical Science from the University of Delhi’s Miranda House College won the ‘High Commissioner for the Day’ contest organised annually since 2017 to celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11, British High Commission said in a press release.

Aditi, who aspires to join the Indian Administrative Service, is the fifth winner of the India edition of the competition.

As the UK’s top diplomat in India, Aditi experienced a broad variety of diplomatic activities on Friday. She observed the India-UK Energy for Growth Dialogue alongside Ministers Raj Kumar Singh and Kwasi Kwarteng, the release said.

“She met with beneficiaries of a leadership programme for aspiring female politicians funded by the Chevening Alumni Programme Fund, climate experts from the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), who signed the UK in India Pledge for Progress, to show their leadership in gender equality and young leaders from the not-for-profit Global Youth,” the British High Commission informed.

Aditi’s packed day also included a hands-on demonstration of the I-PACE – Jaguar’s zero-emissions, all-electric performance SUV to be used by world leaders at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow next month.

Talking about her experience, Aditi said, “I had applied for the competition last year as well and I’m really pleased that I got the opportunity. The interaction with senior diplomats and with women from ‘She Leads’ leadership programme were the two personal highlights of the day for me.”

“I also enjoyed being driven around in an electric vehicle by the High Commissioner. The amount of work that both the UK and India are doing to tackle issues like climate change and gender inequality made me really hopeful as a young woman. I will cherish this day for a long time to come,” she added.

The UK and India are working together to help ensure women and girls can reach their full potential.

As per the release, the applicants for this year’s competition were invited to submit a one-minute video answering the question: ‘How can young people best support tackle the global challenge of climate change?’

Alex Ellis, Deputy High Commissioner for the Day (on other days, High Commissioner to India), said, “It was a pleasure for me to work with Aditi throughout the day. Her confidence and thoughtfulness on important issues like climate change and women’s rights shone through. The UK is working with India to provide a platform for young women like Aditi to help them reach their potential.”

“I am pleased that so many young girls sent in their entries for this year’s competition which focussed on climate change. Women are disproportionately affected by climate change and are often left out of decision making on it. The UK is committed to hosting an inclusive COP26 that advances gender equality by calling on all countries to implement the Gender Action Plan agreed at COP25,” he added.

In India, the British High Commission is working with state governments, law enforcement agencies, education authorities and British businesses to promote gender equality. (ANI)

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