00:00That India should actually take its place as one of the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
00:07India decided to give that away to China, which I think at the time, I understand why it was done.
00:13Historically now, that was a mistake.
00:16The protests happening in POK, you have raised your concerns as well in a letter.
00:22If you can talk to us about that and what are the concerns you want to raise?
00:26Well, there's a number of concerns.
00:29First, obviously, is that peaceful protesters appear to have been fired upon by Pakistani military using live ammunition.
00:41And obviously, these are people that are completely unarmed, posing no threat to the military and indeed calling for human
00:49rights, for food distribution and a variety of other things.
00:52Things that it's perfectly reasonable for people to be protesting.
00:57Secondly, it appears, although it's not confirmed yet, I think the authorities are saying that something like nine people have
01:07been killed.
01:08But the protesters are saying that more than 30 have been killed and more than 200 have been injured.
01:14So there's a discrepancy between what the authorities are saying and what, obviously, the peaceful protesters are saying.
01:23The third area, which is all important, and this is why it's very firmly a matter for the UK, is
01:31that my understanding is that there is a number of UK nationals who are actually involved in this who have
01:36been injured.
01:37I don't know if any have been killed, but clearly that is a direct concern to the United Kingdom.
01:43So today, at what we have a business question in the House of Commons, I asked the leader of the
01:51House to arrange for the Foreign Secretary to make a statement next week on what action she has taken to
01:59call in the Pakistani High Commissioner
02:04and give them a dressing down on this particular issue and, indeed, make sure that British nationals are safe in
02:10this area.
02:12And as we know, since 1947, Pakistan has illegally occupied this part of India.
02:19It has been a matter of dispute between India and Pakistan for a long time.
02:23And indeed, India and Pakistan have fought wars over this particular section.
02:28Now, one of the things that's happened, just to emphasise how significant this is, that the 30 MPs in the
02:37UK Parliament who've written to the Foreign Secretary are all supporters of the Pakistani occupation of Kashmir.
02:44So these are not people that are pro-India, far from it.
02:48They are pro-Pakistani.
02:49So the fact that they are concerned demonstrates that both the cross-party, but also across the interests of this
02:59particular, well, absolute despicable act that we can describe.
03:05So where we're at at the moment, obviously, is that the Foreign Secretary will be well aware of what is
03:13going on.
03:14So we have in the House next Tuesday, we have Foreign Office questions, and we'll see whether we can get
03:22a question in then.
03:24But we've asked for a statement, and I suspect our speaker will be sympathetic towards an urgent question in the
03:32event that the Foreign Secretary doesn't do anything about this to Parliament next week.
03:38Sir, your thoughts regarding the army action which took place, you said that it was a live emanation on these
03:45protesters.
03:47How do you read the situation?
03:49Well, the reality is that you've got peaceful protesters who, my understanding, were just demonstrating their concerns.
03:59They posed no threat to the military.
04:02This is the fundamental issue.
04:04So in those circumstances, then they should have been allowed to carry out their peaceful protest.
04:12If they posed a threat to the military, then the military should have used, so they certainly shouldn't be using
04:17live ammunition on peaceful protesters under any circumstances.
04:21So, you know, that's why so many people have been killed and so many injured as a result.
04:26This is a despicable attack on civilians, most of whom, of course, are concerned about having enough food to eat,
04:38having the position whereby their human rights are protected, and indeed are being oppressed by the Pakistani military.
04:44We're always told in the UK that, you know, this occupation by Pakistan is beneficial to the people of Kashmir.
04:52Well, this just demonstrates that it's not.
04:54And actually, what we need to see, and I've been calling for for a very long time, is for the
05:00upholding of the UN resolutions, namely, that the Pakistani military should leave the Kashmir Valley and that, indeed, the whole
05:09of Jamal and Kashmir should be reunited as part of sovereign India, as was always intended by the late Maharaja.
05:16The fact that Pakistan has refused to do this and is taking out now on the so-called Azad Kashmir
05:23is just ironic and, I think, really concerning, because there could well be an escalation of this with the Pakistani
05:32military pursuing those people who are peaceful protesters back to their homes and, indeed, to hospitals or wherever those people
05:41have ended up following being attacked by the military.
05:46Sir, we have also seen one congratulatory tweet from your end as the Prime Minister Modi has become the longest
05:53-serving elected Prime Minister of India, it's a historical mind stone.
05:59What do you have to say regarding that?
06:00Well, I put a video out congratulating Narendra Modi on becoming the longest-serving, directly elected Prime Minister in India's
06:11history.
06:13Narendra has done a remarkable job in terms of both Gujarat, in terms of turning Gujarat into the powerhouse of
06:20India economically.
06:22And he's doing the same thing for India, I mean, he's a remarkable man, doing a remarkable job and proves,
06:29above all else, how it's possible in a country like India to rise from relatively humble beginnings to becoming the
06:36leader of the country.
06:38Narendra Modi, he works incredible hours, I know he, we always talk about, about this time of year, about India's
06:44gift to the world, being yoga.
06:47And, of course, Narendra rises at 4am and does yoga and then gets on with his work, as I would
06:54say, chasing cabinet ministers to deliver for the people of India.
06:57And he shows no sign of letting up that work rate.
07:02So, congratulations to him.
07:04I wish him a long life and a long period of time of being Prime Minister of India.
07:10India is going from strength to strength under his beneficial leadership.
07:13We are, you know, we're seeing India's economic position rising in the world, which is wonderful.
07:19And, indeed, India having greater influence across the world as a direct result of Narendra Modi's diplomatic efforts across the
07:28world.
07:28So, congratulations to him.
07:31Long may he continue in office and, indeed, keep chasing his cabinet ministers to do their jobs.
07:38Bob, sir, regarding the relationship between India and UK, how do you assess, because we have just signed the FTA
07:45as well,
07:46but how do you assess the situation right now and what I am thinking and how do you like to
07:51take this thing forward?
07:53We've had a very strong and long working relationship with India, obviously, since India gained its independence, quite rightly, back
08:02in 1947.
08:04The reality is that, obviously, India has gone from strength to strength as a country.
08:08And, indeed, I mean, I've always said that India should actually take its place as one of the permanent members
08:15of the United Nations Security Council.
08:18For example, India decided to give that away to China, which I think at the time, I understand why it
08:24was done.
08:24Historically, now, that was a mistake.
08:27I think we should see that rectified.
08:30We've obviously signed defence and security agreements with our friends in India, and we cooperate fully.
08:38I would just correct.
08:40It's not a free trade agreement.
08:41It's a trade agreement.
08:43And there's still a lot of work to be done.
08:46The sad reality is that there are still tariffs, quite severe tariffs in place on trade between our two countries.
08:53And that should be those tariffs should be reduced or eliminated as time goes on.
08:59But we also need to see the opening up of the markets, both for services, accountancy services, legal services and
09:08the such like need to be opened up.
09:10I've had constant complaints from people from India in terms of the legal profession and, indeed, the accountancy professions that
09:19they're not able to practise in the UK.
09:20And in similar terms, UK professionals are not able to practise in India.
09:25Given that our laws, obviously, we have different laws, but the laws are based in the same way.
09:31There's absolutely no reason why this practice shouldn't be allowed and opened up because that would increase the volume of
09:38exchange.
09:40Equally, I think one of the things that we are seeing is obviously UK schools and universities setting up in
09:47India, which is good news, enables Indians to study at universities without actually travelling to the UK, which I think
09:57is a good thing.
09:58I want to see British students travel to India and, you know, once again, to study in India.
10:04So we build that relationship up because those relationships between students in particular build up over the years.
10:11And as people become more successful, then they can build up trade.
10:14They may build up political alliances.
10:16They build up friendship, essentially.
10:18And so that's all important.
10:20And so we need our relationship to grow from strength to strength.
10:25I'm a bit worried that the UK government is saying, oh, job done.
10:30We don't need to do anything more.
10:31There's a lot of work to be done, I think.
10:34Obviously, we had something like 20 rounds of negotiation to get to the trade agreement we've got at the moment.
10:41There's still a lot more to do in terms of the services side of the industry, of the trade position,
10:49and indeed, obviously, security cooperation.
10:53Because India, I would like India to be part of the Five Eyes type of arrangements where security was being
11:01maintained in the free world.
11:02That, to me, is the destiny for India and for the world, to welcome India as part of that.
11:11India has got a challenge on its hands, I always say, because of China and the threat, potential security threat
11:19of China, literally surrounding India with its relations with other states.
11:25And so clearly, that is important that India sees us as a strong ally against that happening.
11:33Let's move to the last question.
11:35We are all aware about the West Asia situation right now.
11:38How do you assess that and how a country like India can play a role in this scenario?
11:46Well, obviously, the current situation is that Pakistan is facilitating talks between Iran and the United States.
11:55And one of the things that I think has happened as a direct result of that is the United States
12:00have gone soft on Pakistan under the position we talked about, obviously, the quite disgraceful, despicable attacks on civilians by
12:09the Pakistani military.
12:11I'm sure the Americans would be calling that out, were it not for the delicacy of these particular talks.
12:16At the moment, the fragile ceasefires we've seen seem to be broken on all sides.
12:25And indeed, a position whereby a peace agreement seems to be a long way away still on the Middle East.
12:33Whether India can play a part in that, I don't know.
12:35Literally, it's something where I don't think necessarily India would be trusted by Iran, nor should it.
12:42I mean, I regard it, Iran as a rogue state responsible for all the terrorism that takes place across the
12:48Middle East and beyond.
12:50Iran poses a direct threat to the United Kingdom.
12:53And indeed, next week, the UK government will be fast tracking legislation to deal with the security threats from Iran.
13:03Iran, so I think India's position really has to be one of seeking out support with the UK, with the
13:14United States and the West in general.
13:17And I don't think there's a role for India to necessarily get involved in the Middle East conflict,
13:23because there are clearly a lot of Indian citizens who work in, particularly in the Emirates.
13:31And of course, they're under direct threat.
13:34And of course, we saw the Iranian threat, the attack that took place on the airport recently,
13:43which where people from India were injured.
13:46And that shows we've also seen a tanker in the Straits of Hamus that was attacked.
13:53And indeed, I believe three Indian sailors were killed.
13:57So, you know, India is involved on the basis that its citizens are under threat.
14:02And I think that's why India should be using its power, its economic power to say,
14:09look, you know, we want the Straits of Hamus to be open.
14:12We want those to be secured.
14:13We want ships to be able to pass through.
14:16And at the same time, we've got the position, obviously, with the China-Pakistan belts literally
14:25coming through, touching India at the top of India, if you like, raising concerns about
14:32both security and trade for the long term, the so-called Silk Route.
14:36That, to me, is a serious threat to India.
14:40And we in the UK should be offering support to India in terms of ensuring that India's
14:49security is made safe with any arrangements that may happen between other sovereign states.
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