UK AI minister Kanishka Narayan says India partnership blends trust with technology

What happened

On 15 October, Kanishka Narayan, the United Kingdom’s minister for artificial intelligence, addressed the annual Indo‑European Business Forum (IEBF) awards at the House of Lords. Narayan told the audience that the India‑UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) – which entered into force three months earlier – is already delivering a “trust‑plus‑technology” partnership.

Who was involved

Narayan, a Muzaffarpur‑born MP representing a Welsh constituency, shared the stage with Baroness Rosie Winterton, the UK Minister for the Indo‑Pacific, and Baroness Sandy Verma, who hosted the event. IEBF founder Vijay Goel also spoke, noting the deal’s potential to turn “opportunities into investment, commercial partnerships and growth for businesses of all sizes.”

What was said

“You often hear there’s a trade‑off between building trust and building technology,” Narayan said. “The UK and India reject that trade‑off – we build trust by developing technology at home and shaping it with our values.”He highlighted India’s push in semiconductor design, assembly, testing and packaging, calling it “crucial” for both economies. Drawing on his own experience growing up in a small town in Bihar, Narayan added that “every single person with a smartphone has a vastly outsized dream compared to the size of their phone.”

Why it matters

The speech underscored how the CETA framework is being leveraged to deepen collaboration in high‑value tech sectors, from AI models to next‑generation chips. By framing the partnership as a joint pursuit of the future, the UK government is positioning Britain as a trusted partner for Indian innovators, reinforcing stability and shared standards in a rapidly shifting global tech landscape.

What happens next

The IEBF gathering concluded with awards recognising business leaders from both countries, signalling an intent to translate the partnership’s rhetoric into concrete deals. Narayan indicated that follow‑up meetings on semiconductor joint ventures and AI research collaborations are already in the pipeline, aiming to convert the “three‑month mark” of CETA into measurable investment flows within the next fiscal year.