British Envoy Gareth Wynn Owen Backs Telangana Ties in Education and Business

British Deputy High Commissioner to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Gareth Wynn Owen stated on Thursday in Hyderabad that Telangana’s proactive approach to attracting educational institutions and businesses can help deepen its ties with the United Kingdom.

Speaking on the challenges of strengthening bilateral relations, Mr. Owen noted that there are no barriers and stressed the importance of proactively identifying new opportunities. He specifically pointed to the state government’s initiatives to draw UK-based educational institutions to Telangana.

Mr. Owen highlighted Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s visit to multiple universities in the UK as an encouraging development. He remarked that the Telangana government's willingness to pursue opportunities and address issues across the education sector reflects positive momentum.

Hyderabad continues to present significant advantages as a destination for global capability centres (GCCs), technology firms, and pharmaceutical enterprises. According to Mr. Owen, representatives from UK institutions who visited the city were impressed by the scale of opportunities available.

The discussions took place amid broader economic engagement between India and the UK, including the ongoing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations. Mr. Owen stated that the trade deal would open up significant avenues for UK businesses aiming to expand their exports to India, citing strong interest from Scottish whisky makers. He noted that exporting goods currently represents an immediate opportunity for many UK firms before considering local manufacturing.

Mr. Owen added that his office has contributed to the FTA negotiations by consulting with industry organisations, including the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI), and pharmaceutical bodies, to provide valuable inputs.

On the subject of tourism, Mr. Owen observed that Telangana and Hyderabad must pursue sustained, long-term initiatives rather than one-off events to draw more international visitors. Addressing concerns over anti-immigrant sentiment in the UK affecting South Asian communities and the Indian diaspora, he characterised the occurrences as isolated incidents, adding that peaceful expression remains protected in the UK.