Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, visited the British School in Delhi during his three-day visit to India on Monday. Engaging himself with students and exploring different stalls of the school, he listened to their academic works and some projects. His visit marked the significance of forging educational exchanges between India and the United Kingdom, directing the light of focus towards cooperative studies in education.
The Duke has been a long-standing Chancellor of the University of Bath in the UK. He appreciated the continued efforts to build up UK-India relations and spoke to the students about mutual cooperation between the two nations, especially in higher education and vocational training. He highlighted that education, both inside and outside the classroom, plays a crucial role in shaping future leaders, and he noted the Duke of Edinburgh Award's significant contribution to this cause.
Prince Edward's visit to the British School was part of a broader initiative to foster closer educational and cultural ties between India and the UK. His visit is at a time when the two countries are looking into further areas of cooperation. After his visit to Delhi, Prince Edward met Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan in Mumbai and discussed a number of key areas of mutual interest. Among these were strengthening bilateral ties in education, green energy, and the pharmaceutical sector.
During the meeting, Prince Edward also praised the growing cooperation between India and the UK, expressing satisfaction with achievements in different sectors. The Duke of Edinburgh reiterated the UK's interest in furthering educational collaboration with India, particularly regarding university partnerships. He pointed out that by exploring vocational training and exchanges between institutions in both countries, the UK could play an important role in supporting India's educational development.
These feelings echoed when Maharashtra Governor reiterated the importance that both nations being some of the best democratic systems worldwide should engage together towards making maximum efforts with this bond. Radhakrishnan as the Chancellor of Universities for the Maharashtra Province underlined this idea as many students have turned more versatile while accepting UK academic programs because their learning environments facilitate friendly connections for higher educational exchanges.
Another area of discussion was the need to strengthen trade ties between India and the UK. The Governor talked about the prospects of a Free Trade Agreement that would further deepen relations and cooperation in areas like hospital management. He particularly complimented the UK's progress in this regard and said that India could learn from the UK's experience to enhance its own hospital management systems.
The idea of hosting a Commonwealth Festival of Business and Culture was also put forth. The Governor mentioned the fact that sports such as football and cricket are popular in India, which would further give an impetus to the country's football development with the UK's involvement. Prince Edward appreciated the rise in success of cricket in India after the advent of the Indian Premier League but still appreciated the country for its success in the sport of badminton.
The visit came to a conclusion with discussions made on the imperative of continued partnerships between India and the UK for educational, cultural, and commercial exchanges. His Royal Highness Prince Edward visit is an apt example of developing further ties for mutual growth in several sectors in both countries.
The Duke of Edinburgh, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II and the late Prince Philip, also visited India in 2018. His current trip further strengthens the UK's commitment to its long-standing relationship with India, specifically in terms of education, trade, and cultural exchanges.
