It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Sir Alec. [5D [K Alec. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Weston-super-Mare (Dan Aldridge [8D [K Aldridge) for so expertly introducing this debate on the UK-India technolog [9D [K technology security initiative. Technology and my early upbringing in India [5D [K India have profoundly shaped my life, so it is a particular privilege to re [2D [K respond to this debate on behalf of the Government. Indian investment has a [1D [K already created over 1,800 jobs across the UK. Following the Prime Minister [8D [K Minister's visit to Mumbai in October, we have secured a further £1.3 billi [5D [K billion in direct investment. The UK-India technology security initiative w [1D [K will create good, well-paid jobs in the UK, build our children's skills for [3D [K for the future and drive investment in every part of our country. It is no [K exaggeration to say that our future prosperity depends on our ability to dr [2D [K drive innovation-led growth, to secure the supply chains and technologies o [1D [K on which our economy relies, and to build a strong research base and skills [6D [K skills future so that British people and businesses can thrive. The UK cann [4D [K cannot deliver those objectives alone; success depends on our trusted partn [5D [K partnerships with India. Our bilateral relationship has gone from strength [K to strength, with technology and innovation firmly at its core. It is expec [5D [K expected to increase bilateral trade worth £47.4 billion a year by £25.5 bi [2D [K billion and to increase both Indian and UK GDP by nearly £5 billion a year [K in the long run. Major Indian tech companies like Infosys, Tata Consultancy [11D [K Consultancy Services, and Wipro are expanding in the UK, supporting jobs, p [1D [K productivity, and innovation across our economy. Linkfields is investing £1 [2D [K £10 million in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, and Glasgow; Mastek is openin [6D [K opening an office in Leeds and an AI centre in London, creating 200 skilled [7D [K skilled jobs including 75 apprenticeships; EdSupreme is investing £10 milli [5D [K million across England and Wales and creating 100 jobs. The UK-India techno [6D [K technology security initiative brings collaboration in frontier technology [K across telecoms, critical minerals, semiconductors, AI, quantum, biotechnol [10D [K biotechnology, healthtech, and advanced materials into sharper focus. We ha [2D [K have delivered several joint AI innovation projects together through the UK [2D [K UK-India Joint Centre for AI. Our co-operation extends to advanced connecti [8D [K connectivity; working together to shape future communications networks will [4D [K will help provide seamless coverage even in remote areas of our countries. [K The India-UK Connectivity and Innovation Centre has an initial £24 million [K in joint funding, driving innovation in how AI is used in telecoms networks [8D [K networks, non-terrestrial networks such as satellite internet, and telecoms [8D [K telecoms cybersecurity. We are collaborating on innovative technologies in [K femtech with a letter of intent between the National Institute for Health a [1D [K and Care Research and India's Department of Biotechnology to improve health [6D [K health outcomes for women and support economic growth by driving innovation [10D [K innovation, attracting investment, and strengthening our life sciences sect [4D [K sector.