The India-UK Technology Security Initiative (TSI) was presented in the UK Parliament this week as a strategic investment designed to secure supply chains and strengthen bilateral cooperation in critical and emerging technologies.

The initiative, first agreed between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Keir Starmer in July 2024 and renewed under the India-UK Vision 2035 framework, has already begun delivering results in biotechnology and health technology, sectors identified as vital for economic growth and resilience.

During a Westminster Hall debate in the House of Commons, UK Minister for AI and Online Safety Kanishka Narayan emphasised the importance of the pact.

He highlighted the recent visit of UK National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell to Delhi for talks with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval, where the next phase of the initiative was agreed.

Narayan described the TSI as a landmark partnership, noting that it was already producing tangible outcomes in biotechnology and health technology, while also securing supply chains in these critical sectors.

Narayan, who was born in Bihar and now serves in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, stressed that technology and innovation are at the heart of the UK’s partnership with India. 

He pointed to the presence of major Indian technology companies such as Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro in the UK, which are expanding operations, supporting jobs, and driving productivity and innovation. He added that dozens of Indian firms and entrepreneurs are investing in Britain, creating jobs and contributing to future economic growth.

The minister explained that the TSI sharpens collaboration in frontier technologies including telecoms, critical minerals, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, health technology and advanced materials.

He argued that working closely with India not only opens new opportunities for UK businesses but also ensures that technologies are built on secure and trustworthy foundations, while partnering with a nation increasingly setting the global agenda.

Narayan informed Parliament that the initiative has already delivered several joint innovation projects through the UK-India Joint Centre for AI, which is enabling the safe adoption of artificial intelligence across multiple sectors.

He also highlighted the India-UK Connectivity and Innovation Centre, backed by £24 million in joint funding, which is driving innovation in the use of AI in telecoms networks and non-terrestrial networks such as satellite internet and telecoms cybersecurity.

Further, a letter of intent between the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Research and India’s Department of Biotechnology is set to drive innovation in FEMTECH, aiming to improve health outcomes for women.

Narayan also referred to the UK-India Critical Minerals Guild, which is strengthening joint capabilities in critical minerals. Phase two of this initiative, backed by £1.8 million in funding, will extend the scope of the joint observatory, develop digital data infrastructure on the critical minerals value chain, and establish a new satellite campus at the Indian School of Mines in Dhanbad.

Labour MP Dan Aldridge, who secured the debate, urged that the ambition of the TSI be matched by delivery across all parts of the UK.

He underlined India’s trajectory towards becoming one of the world’s largest economies and a technological superpower by 2047, stressing that Britain must decide whether it wants to be part of that story. He argued that the UK should embrace the opportunity and deepen its engagement with India.

The debate was among the final items on the agenda before the current session of the UK Parliament concluded on Thursday. The new 2026-27 parliamentary term is scheduled to commence with a State Opening on 13 May, underscoring the importance of the India-UK technology partnership as a priority for both nations.

PTI