Indian Diaspora Vital to NHS Success & Future: UK Health Secy

Further, the UK Health Secretary highlighted India’s advances in primary healthcare, research, and innovation as valuable models for the UK.

The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) owes much of its foundation and growth to the Indian diaspora, said Health Secretary Wes Streeting, highlighting the essential role of India-UK collaboration in the modernization of Britain’s healthcare.

Speaking at India Global Forum’s (IGF) annual Diwali celebration in London, Streeting shared his optimism about upcoming healthcare reforms, tying them to the symbolism of Diwali.

Reflecting on the NHS’s 76-year history, Streeting stated, “We owe so much to the Indian diaspora here in Britain. It was the generation that helped to build the NHS in 1948, and today we see their descendants shaping its future.”

Further, the UK Health Secretary highlighted India’s advances in primary healthcare, research, and innovation as valuable models for the UK.

He pointed to the collaborative efforts on the COVID-19 vaccine, involving the University of Oxford and India’s Serum Institute, as a testament to the potential impact of this partnership.

"The UK-India partnership is essential in addressing our healthcare challenges. With India’s progress in primary care, there’s much we can learn, especially as communities face barriers to accessing GP appointments," he added.

Echoing the theme of collaboration, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall reaffirmed the Labour government’s commitment to securing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and a Bilateral Investment Treaty with India. “This will build on an already strong trading relationship, supporting over 700,000 jobs across our two great countries,” said Kendall.

The UK-India relationship, she emphasized, extends beyond trade, evolving into a strategic partnership encompassing economic, climate, and global security.

Ministers also engaged with executives across technology, pharmaceuticals, and green energy sectors during high-level roundtables at the IGF UK-India Future Forum.

Highlighting the economic depth of this partnership, Sujit Ghosh, India’s Deputy High Commissioner to the UK, remarked on India’s position as the UK’s largest foreign investor.

IGF Founder Manoj Ladwa closed the evening, celebrating this “first Diwali of a new Labour government” and urging for renewed vigor in fostering India-UK ties, which he called “one of our most impactful relationships.”

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