Delhi: Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Tuesday met a visiting delegation of the United Kingdom parliament led by Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons Musrat Ghani, and said that the shared democratic values and historic ties continue to guide the evolving partnership between India and the UK.
During the interaction, Gupta emphasised the strategic transformation of India-UK relations into a contemporary, multi-dimensional partnership shaped by frameworks such as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the India-UK Vision 2035.
He said, “With our roadmap now expanded to cover trade, technology, education, defence, climate action, and innovation, we stand together as partners in global progress.”
Gupta underscored the valuable contributions of the Indian Diaspora and businesses in enhancing bilateral economic engagement between the two nations.
Education featured prominently in the discussion with the speaker noting that more than 170,000 Indian students are currently enrolled in UK’s universities.
He welcomed the initiative by UK universities to establish campuses in India — particularly the University of Southampton’s forthcoming campus in Gurugram — and praised the 2022 mutual recognition of academic qualifications as a pivotal development in academic mobility and cooperation.
Gupta apprised the delegation of the Delhi assembly’s pioneering reforms, highlighting the complete transition to a paperless process through the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) and the commissioning of a 500 kW rooftop solar power plant. “We are proud to be India’s first Assembly to achieve net-zero carbon status—within just 100 days of the 8th Legislative Assembly,” Gupta added.
He further informed the delegation about the ongoing restoration efforts of the assembly’s historic premises.
He earnestly requested the delegation’s assistance in facilitating access to valuable archival materials held by the British Council, stating, “We request that these records be made available at the earliest to support our efforts to document and preserve this institution’s legacy for future generations.”
In her remarks, Ghani expressed appreciation for the hospitality extended by the Delhi Legislative Assembly, and acknowledged both its historic legacy and its modern relevance. She commended the legislature’s strides in embracing digital innovation and sustainability, describing it as a forward-looking model of 21st-century legislative governance.
The British parliamentary delegation led by Ghani comprised Sarah Davies, Clerk Assistant in the House of Commons; Abigail Samuels, Private Secretary to the Deputy Speaker; Natalia Leigh, Head of Political and Bilateral Affairs at the British High Commission in New Delhi; Alexandra Knowles, Deputy Head of Political and Bilateral Affairs at the British High Commission; Bhavna Vij, Senior Political and Economic Adviser; and Parul Kavia, Political Adviser.
The meeting reaffirmed shared democratic values and a commitment to deeper institutional collaboration.
