Two Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) will be signed between UK and Assam on February 3, British Deputy High Commissioner, Bruce Bucknell said on Friday during his visit to Guwahati ahead of Advantage Assam.
While Assam is all set to invite investors as part of the two-day Global Investors’ Summit starting from February 3, Bucknell interacted with Assam-based business delegates on the possibilities of Assam investing in the United Kingdom across different sectors.
Speaking to Northeast Now, Bruce Bucknell said, “The first MoU is on agriculture, specifically to deal with the pig sector. Secondly, another MoU for the first stage of setting up a very interesting project rolling out across India called Medicity.”
“Medicity is a completely new medical facility. It will be a combination of hospitals in 11 locations in India,” he added.
Dr Ajay Rajan Gupta, group MD and CEO of Indo-UK Institute of Health (IUIH) will be leading the Medicity project. He has worked for National Health Services in the UK for many years.
“We see a demand for more and better health services in Assam. These hospitals will be run using public-private partnership,” Bucknell noted.
There were around 25 companies cutting across various sectors from Assam and Meghalaya who attended the Round Table meeting.
They expressed interest in investment in industries such as organic farming, livestock rearing.
One of the companies pointed out that given the high population of Indian diaspora in UK, there could be future prospects of boosting the business.
Bruce Bucknell emphasized the need to invest in financial services so that there is a growth from subsistence to commercial and local to state level of production.
Further, in sectors like research, education and technology Bucknell expressed interest regarding British businesses looking for partners in the region.
“Business is a two-way thing. We are looking at creating a forum where one business can talk with another business. For instance, in the field of higher education and research there could be joint-degrees or further collaboration in scientific research and innovation through the Newton Bhabha Fund,” he said.