Britain vows to keep BPO

The British government maintains that India has a "special place" in its mind and announces that it will do nothing to stop business process outsourcing (BPO).

The statement came from the British High Commissioner Sir Michael Arthur last Friday. This was in relation to the pressure from trade unions to lessen offshoring.

Among the recent trade union issues was the move made by HSBC to relocate call center jobs to India, China and other low-labor cost areas.

Earlier Sir Michael had discussions with chief minister Oommen Chandy and pondered over the potential tie-up areas in IT, Tourism, Organic food and Education.

British interests in Kerala enveloped tourism, IT, professional education, and spices. A big delegation will be visiting Kerala in December to explore educational cooperation.

Sir Arthur said that the bilateral ties would be cemented further when the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Foreign Minister Natwar Singh meet British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his team on Monday.

Sir Michael said "the wonderful vibrant culture was the best thing and the abject poverty the worst thing" about India.

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