Tag: Doraiswami

Categories
-Top News India News UK News

Hoyle welcomes Doraiswami in Parliament for Diwali celebrations

Earlier, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also welcomed guests from the Hindu community at 10 Downing Street for Diwali celebrations…reports Asian Lite News

As several United Kingdom politicians have opened their doors to the Indian population ahead of the Diwali celebrations, Speaker of the UK House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, hosted the Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Vikram Doraiswami.

“Following his recent visit to #India for the #P20,@CommonsSpeaker@LindsayHoyle_MPhosted a Diwali reception @UKParliamenttoday. HC @VDoraiswamiwas among the guests,” the Indian High Commission posted on X (formerly Twitter).

With Diwali, also known as Deepwali, commencing on November 12, Hindus and festival lovers across the world prepare to embrace the festival. The five-day-long festival is the festival of lights for Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs, which symbolises the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil.

Earlier, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also welcomed guests from the Hindu community at 10 Downing Street for Diwali celebrations.

“Tonight Prime Minister @RishiSunak welcomed guests from the Hindu community to Downing Street ahead of #Diwali – a celebration of the triumph of light over darkness,” as per the UK Prime Minister’s office’s official handle on ‘X’.

Doraiswami had recently visited India for the P20 summit.

“The first-ever G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (P20 Summit) hosted by the world’s largest democracy concluded at India International Convention Centre, Yashobhoomi, Dwarka, Delhi today, October 14, 2023, with parliamentarians from across the world coming together and reaffirming their commitment to continue their joint work to make an effective and meaningful parliamentary contribution to the G20 process,” the G20 press release stated.

Meanwhile, PM Modi and PM Sunak also held a telephone conversation last week.

The two leaders agreed on the importance of securing an ambitious deal that benefitted both sides.

Sunak also congratulated PM Modi on Team India’s strong performance in the ongoing Cricket World Cup.

Meanwhile, talks for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Sunak and Modi began in 2022, with the 12th round of negotiations, taking place from August 8-31 this year.

On the other hand, India is having a strong run in the ongoing Cricket World Cup and is sitting at the top of the table after winning all eight matches it has played so far. (ANI)

ALSO READ-Sunak Celebrates Diwali at 10 Downing Street

Categories
-Top News India News UK News

Trend line on India-UK FTA positive, says Doraiswami

London, July 19 (ANI): High Commissioner of India to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami speaking at an event organised on a Thames cruise boat, in London on Wednesday. (ANI Photo)

On the wider bilateral partnership, he expressed similar optimism around an “obvious synergy” across different sectors…reports Asian Lite News

Ahead of the 12th round of the India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations starting in New Delhi on Wednesday, the Indian High Commissioner to the UK has expressed optimism that officials on both sides will be “able to get something working” and find a “right fit” towards a mutually beneficial pact.

High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami said that he is positive as both countries seem keen to make necessary adjustments, recognising the complexities involved with the very different structures of the two similar-sized economies.

On the wider bilateral partnership, he expressed similar optimism around an “obvious synergy” across different sectors.

 “I’m positive about it (FTA)… My intention is that to the extent we can, we would like a mutually beneficial forward-looking FTA to be concluded,” said the High Commissioner.

 “I believe both sides are keen on making the necessary adjustments. Even though we’re both similar-sized economies, we are dissimilar in the structures of our economies and the complexities of our economies. So, getting the right fit together is very important,” he said.

The senior diplomat closely involved with the FTA negotiations, which began in January last year, noted that it is important that the UK side recognises some of the complexities of the structure of the Indian economy.

 “It can’t be the same as a free trade agreement with a peer-developed country. On the other hand, we too have to take into account the fact that the UK hasn’t actually negotiated many free trade agreements in recent years when it was part of the European Union. So, there are those things that have to be adjusted. But overall, the trend line seems very positive,” he said.

The 11th round of negotiations concluded on July 18, with a joint outcome statement saying it covered detailed draft treaty text discussions across nine policy areas. According to official UK government statistics, the bilateral trade partnership was worth around GBP 36 billion in 2022 and an FTA is set to significantly enhance that relationship.

 “I think our government has been very clear that we want the best possible partnership with the UK and, I believe, from what I hear from the UK leadership on both sides of the political aisle as well as from the senior leadership of the government here, that they too want a forward-looking partnership with us,” said Doraiswami.

India’s Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal has said the 11th round of talks in London was “very intense” and many issues got closed.

ALSO READ-India-UK FTA talks may conclude as early as Sept

Categories
-Top News UK News

Labour Party delegation hold talks with Doraiswami

Progress has been made on half of the chapters in the India-UK FTA agreement, and efforts are underway to finalize the negotiations as swiftly as possible…reports Asian Lite News

Prioritising trade links with India, the UK opposition Labour Party discussed trade deal negotiations between Britain and India with the High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom Vikram Doraiswami.

The event was organised on July 4th by Stockport MP Navendu Mishra and was a first for the High Commissioner of India in addressing exclusively members of the Labour Party, as well as businesses with mutual interests in Britain and India at the Palace of Westminster, an official release said. Doraiswami was welcomed by Members of the Official Opposition in Britain, the Labour Party, in both the House of Commons and House of Lords to discuss the progress of the trade deal

negotiations between Britain and India.

Progress has been made on half of the chapters in the India-UK FTA agreement, and efforts are underway to finalize the negotiations as swiftly as possible.

At the event, the High Commissioner discussed trade relations in light of the current Free Trade Agreement that is being negotiated, cultural links and the deepening of the two nations’ relationship.

This comes, following an intervention from the Leader of the Labour Party Keir Starmer late last year, said in a statement to the House of Commons that a trade agreement “can bring new opportunities to promote and create new jobs here in Britain”.

The UK India Business Council and Diageo sponsored the reception and heard from the Right Honourable Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade.

India is now the second largest investor in the UK with over 900 Indian companies in the UK, with a combined turnover of Pound 54 billion, demonstrating the strong existing links, the release said. (ANI)

ALSO READ-‘Khalistan’ a growing concern for Canada

Categories
-Top News UK News

Doraiswami is India’s new High Commissioner to UK

Diplomat Vikram K Doraiswami, an Indian Foreign Service officer of 1992 batch, is currently serving as Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh…reports Asian Lite News

Vikram Doraiswami, presently Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the UK, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Tuesday.

“Shri Vikram K. Doraiswami (IFS: 1992), presently High Commissioner of India to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom,” the MEA said in a statement.

Doraiswami is expected to take up the assignment shortly, the statement added. Doraiswami joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1992. Before that, he did journalism for a year. According to MEA, he received his master’s degree in history from Delhi University. After completing his in-service training in New Delhi from 1992-1993, Doraiswami was appointed Third Secretary in the Indian Embassy in Hong Kong in May 1994.

He completed a Diploma in the Chinese Language at New Asia Yale-in-Asia Language School, Chinese University of Hong Kong. In September 1996, he was appointed to the Indian Embassy in Beijing, where he served for about four years.

On his return to the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi in 2000, Doraiswami was appointed Deputy Chief of Protocol (Official). After two years he was promoted to the Prime Minister’s office. Later he served as Private Secretary to the Prime Minister of India. In 2006, Doraiswami took charge as the Political Counselor at the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in New York and in October 2009 as the Consul General of India in Johannesburg, South Africa.

In July 2011, Doraiswamy returned to the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, where he headed the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Division.

During this period, he was also the coordinator of the Fourth BRICS Summit in New Delhi in March 2012. From October 2012 to October 2014, Doraiswami was the Joint Secretary in the Americas Division of the Ministry of External Affairs.

He became India’s Ambassador to Uzbekistan in October 2014, before being appointed India’s Ambassador to Korea in April 2015. After completing this duty, he returned to the headquarters in July 2018 and served as the head of the Bangladesh and Myanmar department. 

In April 2019, he was tasked with setting up a new department in the Ministry of External Affairs for the Indo-Pacific region. After promotion in December 2019, he was designated Additional Secretary for International Organizations and Summits. He assumed charge as Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh on October 05, 2020. Vikram Doraiswami is interested in reading, sports, fitness, travelling and Jazz music. He is fluent in Chinese, French and Korean.

ALSO READ-Vikram K. Doraiswami named as High Commissioner to UK