India is a major scientific super power: Beckett

India is emerging as a major scientific super power and Britain is keen to be its partner, British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said on Tuesday.

Back from a six-day tour of India, Beckett told a large gathering of Labour Friends of India that any country which is keen to develop science and technology must consult and cooperate with India.

"India is a major scientific super power," she observed.

She said that India has been such an important part of global infrastructure that everything that UK wants to achieve globally has to be done in partnership with India.

She also reiterated Britain's support for India's candidature to the UN Security Council. "We strongly support India's candidature to the UN Security Council and I reaffirm that."

The foreign secretary noted, "We are working on a whole lot of issues which include counter proliferation, and counter-terrorism."

The two countries are "so close now than ever before. India has re-emerged as a power in the region which does not have the common values which we share like democracy, rule of law, moderation and tolerance.

"We are a major dialogue partners," she said.

Beckett said she has been to India many times earlier but with each visit a new India is emerging and there is rapid change and development.

"India has been such an important partner of global infrastructure that everything that UK wants to achieve globally has to be done in partnership with India. We are working on a whole lot of issues which include counter-proliferation and counter-terrorism."

She also referred to the signing of Science and Technology agreement with India during Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal's visit to the UK a few months back and said it had helped both the countries.

"Our relationship is mutually beneficial in the area of trade, investment, science and technology, tourism and education."

India's High Commissioner Kamalesh Sharma said India is the second largest investor in the UK and over 500 Indian companies were operating in the UK now.

"UK-India partnership is unique."