Education, talent harvest will shape the future of India-U.K. relations - The HinduUpdated - August 28, 2026 06:35 pm ISTPartnerships between universities and businesses, curriculum informed by industry, and collaborative research are critical to ensuring that graduates possess the skills employers need in rapidly evolving sectors | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphotoThe India–U.K. partnership has never been an abstract diplomatic relationship for me. It has been the story of my own life. I was born in India, educated across seven schools in different Indian cities, graduated from Osmania University and came to the U.K. as a 19-year-old international student.In Britain, I qualified as a CA with E&Y, studied law at the University of Cambridge, built a global business, and in 2006 became the first Zoroastrian Parsi to enter the House of Lords. I have seen first-hand how the movement of people, ideas, and ambition between India and the U.K. creates real and lasting value.(Sign up for THEdge, The Hindu’s weekly education newsletter.)As an independent Crossbench Peer, Patron of the National Indian Students and Alumni Union, Patron of the Small Business Charter, President of the U.K. Council for International Student Affairs, and former Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, I have engaged closely with students, business leaders, and policymakers across both countries. These experiences have given me a unique perspective on the evolving India–U.K. relationship, one that is shaped by lived experience on both sides of the corridor.Join THEdge LinkedIn groupI believe the most important dimension of the India–U.K. relationship is the people. Students, entrepreneurs, researchers, professionals, and alumni form the living bridge between our two nations. And it must be strengthened by ensuring that education, skills, innovation, and opportunity move together.Making education an engine of economic growthThe India–U.K. Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) may have certainly marked a significant milestone in expanding opportunities for India-U.K. bilateral trade, but ideas, innovation, and economic growth are ultimately driven by people. In an increasingly knowledge-driven global economy, talent has become one of the world’s most valuable resources, shaping productivity, and long-term prosperity.To realise the full potential of deeper trade relations, India and the U.K. must continue investing in the development of a talent pool that will power future industries. Partnerships between universities and businesses, curriculum informed by industry, and collaborative research are critical to ensuring that graduates possess the skills employers need in rapidly evolving sectors.Having worked closely with industry and academia in both countries, I believe economic growth is strongest when education and enterprise move in step. However, recognising the importance of talent is only the first step. The real question is how both countries can create pathways that enable people to translate educational opportunities into long-term professional success.From qualifications to global careers: Creating pathwaysThe future of the India–U.K. partnership will be shaped not only by how many students cross borders, but by how effectively both countries create pathways from education to meaningful global careers.Student mobility remains important, but the opportunity today extends much further. Today, mutual recognition of qualifications, joint and dual degrees, transnational education campuses, faculty exchanges, and collaborative research programmes facilitate the exchange of people and ideas. International students enrich campuses and communities, bring new perspectives, strengthen research collaborations, and unlock business and investment opportunities.These pathways are crucial because the real measure of success is whether a student from Chennai or Coventry emerges better equipped to work across both economies, build businesses, lead research, and contribute to innovation in an interconnected world. In a world being reshaped by AI, advanced manufacturing, green industries, and the growing integration of technology across every sector, the India–U.K. partnership must increasingly focus not only on mobility but also on future readiness.Preparing talent for the economy of 2035U.K.–India Vision 2035 is a blueprint for building an economic relationship equipped for a rapidly changing world, and education lies at the heart of it, reflecting a shared commitment to nurturing the next generation of global talent.Preparing young people for this future requires more than technical expertise. Success in the economy of 2035 will depend on entrepreneurship, creativity, and the ability to solve complex challenges that transcend borders and disciplines. Education must enable learners to develop their knowledge and skills, equipping them for the dynamic careers of the future.This demands deeper collaboration between universities and industries. Curricula must bridge the gap between academic theory and corporate needs by integrating management capabilities with emerging fields such as AI, data analytics, and sustainability. Live projects, internships, industry-led research, and real-world case studies are essential to ensuring workplace readiness.However, ambitious goals alone do not create outcomes. Delivering on this vision requires institutions and networks that can turn strategic intent into sustained collaboration.Building the infrastructure for collaborationStrong policy commitments are essential, but lasting partnerships require institutions capable of translating ambition into action. This is where organisations such as the Chartered Association of Business Schools (Chartered ABS) and the British Council play a critical role. Through the India–U.K. Business School Dialogue, the Chartered ABS is helping institutions build the frameworks needed for sustained collaboration. It is grounded in reciprocal partnerships, shared expertise, and long-term commitment rather than transactional exchanges.This approach reflects the evolving nature of international education. TNE today is about creating equitable partnerships that generate value for institutions, students, and societies in both countries. The India–U.K. Business School Dialogue, convened with the British Council, All India Management Association (AIMA), the Association of Management Development Institutions in South Asia (AMDISA), the India Business Group (IBG), and the Indian Academy of Management (INDAM), demonstrates what this looks like in practice. By bringing together business school leaders, policymakers, and industry stakeholders, it has produced commitments to deeper research collaboration, faculty exchanges, joint programme development, and a shared focus on preparing students for globally relevant careers.As the 2026 Dialogue advances the goals of NEP 2020 and the India–U.K. Vision 2035, these institutional frameworks are providing the foundations for mutual growth, trust, and long-term impact.The generation that will define India–U.K. 2035Ultimately, the success of India–U.K. Vision 2035 should not be measured by trade volumes alone. Its true dividend will be seen in the professionals developed, the businesses built, the research published, and the partnerships forged across both countries. Together, India and the U.K. have an opportunity to nurture a generation of globally connected entrepreneurs, researchers, innovators, and leaders who are not simply participants in a bilateral relationship, but its living embodiment.My own journey has convinced me that the India–U.K. relationship, at its deepest level, is a human relationship. The movement of talent, ideas and ambition between our countries has transformed lives, including my own. That is why investment in education, skills, and knowledge is the most important long-term investment either nation can make in the other.The task now is clear. Governments, universities and businesses must work together today and not wait for 2035 to build the partnerships and opportunities that will turn this shared ambition into a shared reality.Lord Karan Bilimoria, CBE, DL is a British businessman and member of House of Lords.Published - August 28, 2026 08:30 am ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }