India should play a major role in climate change: Miliband By H S Rao

London, Sept 24 (PTI) Britain has said it wants India to
play a major global role on the issue of climate change,
similar to its active participation in peace keeping.

"Just as you are already playing a major role in (U.N.)
peace keeping, we want India to play a bigger role in climate
change, which is already having its impact," said Foreign
Secretary, David Miliband, who was the Chief Guest at a
reception jointly hosted by the Labour Friends of India, led
by British MP Barry Gardiner and the Indian High Commissioner
Shiv Shankar Mukherjee, at Manchester.

Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State, department of
International Development; Sir Gulam Noon, NRI industrialist;
Virendra Sharma, Labour MP; Jordana Diengdo K Pavel, among
others were also present here.

Miliband, widely considered a potential prime ministerial
candidate, said that the U.K.-India relationship was a
"partnership of equals."

"India is genuinely emerging as a power and in it the
Indian diaspora is a huge source of strength" he said,
adding "we are lucky to have such a diaspora."

Referring to India's role in the world, Miliband said
"many of us have many expectations. We want India to play a
big role in climate change and we have to work with India as
a genuine partner of equals."

High Commissioner Mukherjee recalled India's first Prime
Minister Pandit Nehru's famous lines about "A tryst With
destiny" and said, "Sixty years down the line, we are quite a
way ahead with the 'tryst with destiny' but there was a great
deal yet to be done in wiping out tears from eyes of the
weakest of the weak."

The High Commissioner also praised the role of the
Indian diaspora. "Your achievement in society and your
contribution in strengthening relations, you have earned the
respect of both the host government and India," he told the
gathered NRIs.

Referring to the growing India-U.K. relations, Mukherjee
said "as we play a greater role in international community, we
look forward to walking on the path with a very trusted
friend - Britain."

"India and Indians have achieved respect world over,"
said Alexander. He also expressed his confidence that India
would take its deserved place in the 21st century.

Referring to Britain's contribution to eradicating
poverty, he said in the last five years Britain had
contributed 1 billion pounds in support of providing basic
health and other development facilities in India.

"As a new India is emerging in the global stage, there is
still poverty in a section of the Indian community. My
department is continuing to raise money in the interest of
doing what is right. We are determined to work with you.
Working together, we can do a lot for the future."

The High Commissioner concurred with Alexander that
"India is much more respected and taken much more seriously
not because of dazzling diplomacy but because India itself has
changed and is well on the way towards development. As India
develops, one sixth of the mankind develops."