London Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan is set to kick off an official visit to India and Pakistan, arriving in Mumbai on Sunday, followed by New Delhi and Amritsar. He then crosses into Pakistan to visit Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi. In an email interview with The Hindu he discussed his plans to keep building strong links with India, despite Brexit, potential cooperation between Indian cities and London over similar challenges such as air pollution and climate change, his reasons for visiting both countries - against the usual practice of British politicians to opt for separate visits - and why his election last year was a victory of “unity over division.”
Prime Minister Narenda Modi has in the past described the UK as India’s gateway to Europe. How do you think bilateral relations - particularly with London - will be impacted by Brexit and what steps do you think can be taken to ameliorate its impact on the city?
Understandably, many people, including here in India, are concerned about Brexit and what this could mean for how Britain interacts with the rest of the world.
My main message on this visit is that despite Brexit, London will always be outward-looking and open to the world. Open to trade, open to investment and open to talent. The vote to leave the European Union shouldn’t be interpreted as London turning our backs on the rest of the world or pulling up the drawbridge.
I want to assure entrepreneurs, politicians, students, creators, businesses and ordinary Indians right across India that London will still be one of the most welcoming, entrepreneurial and innovative cities anywhere on the planet. Our underlying strengths have not – and will not – change. London will remain one of the world’s greatest financial capitals, Europe’s biggest technology hub and the best place in Europe to build and grow an international business.
London faces huge pollution challenges as do many Indian cities - are there lessons from London’s experience in terms of congestion charging for Delhi and beyond?
Air pollution damages people’s health and it’s become a major problem in many cities around the world, including London. I have decided to make improving London’s air quality a top priority as Mayor and I’m delivering one of the most ambitious plans of any city in the world.
This includes introducing a new charge on older, more polluting vehicles coming into central London and making our public buses cleaner and greener.
I am always happy to share our experience of trying to tackle this problem in London. In fact, I’m also always looking to other cities and countries around the world for new ideas and inspiration.
I don’t pretend we have all the answers. As one of the fastest growing and leading economies, there is no doubt that India is not only an important growth market for London’s businesses, but also a nation we can learn from in many areas, including how we can invest more in new, green technology.
No one city can solve this problem alone. Air pollution and climate change transcend national borders and city boundaries, meaning that in this interconnected world, the fates of cities like London, Delhi and Mumbai are all intertwined. But by collaborating together, I believe we can help to implement new ideas and initiatives, improve the quality of the air we breathe, combat climate change, and have access to the clean, affordable and reliable sources of energy we need to power our cities and our homes.
Britain has long had close relations with India and Pakistan, but has traditionally had very separate relations with them - for example never visiting both on the same trip - do you think that’s a mistake? What do you think has been the impact of this separation in terms of relations? W hat message do you hope to convey through your trip?
I’m proud to be the first British politician in a long time to be visiting both India and Pakistan on the same trip. As someone whose grandparents and parents were born in India, and whose parents moved to London from Pakistan, I feel very close ties to both countries.
The longstanding relationship between Britain and the subcontinent is etched into the landscape of modern London. Thousands of people from both India and Pakistan were among a generation who came to my country after the Second World War to make a better life for themselves and their families, to start businesses, to help rebuild Britain’s cities and to work in our public services.
Since then, we have been fortunate to attract new waves of talented Indian and Pakistani emigrants, who have thrived in sectors like technology, finance and science. The huge contribution of these communities to London’s success over many decades is part of the fibre of my city, and it’s played a vital role in shaping the culture and economy of Britain’s capital.
One of the main reasons for my trip is to try and grow the links that already exist between London and the great cities of both India and Pakistan, and to tell everyone - from businesses and entrepreneurs to students and creatives - that London will always be open to the world and open to our friends on the subcontinent.
You were elected despite a very negative, attack campaign against you. At this time of growing intolerance, what support do you think there are for voices of tolerance, and communal harmony and how do we ensure they are heard?
My election as the Mayor of London, which followed a very negative and divisive campaign from my opponents, was a victory of hope over fear and unity over division.
I’m proud to represent such a forward-looking, diverse, global city. One in three Londoners was born outside the UK, more than 300 languages are spoken on our streets and every faith is freely practised. In this respect, London emulates many of the qualities of the great cities of India.
In London - on the whole - we don’t just tolerate one another or just accept our differences, we respect and celebrate them. But, like every other cities, we’re not perfect. And at a time when politics around the world is becoming more and more polarised, we too are dealing with the problem of some communities feeling increasingly disconnected from society and national politics.
That’s why I believe one of the most important tasks now for cities around the world is to take pro-active steps to build stronger and more integrated communities. This means encouraging and facilitating greater social integration wherever we can — looking to grow social ties and bonds of trust between people of all backgrounds.
I believe that through creating opportunities for people to come together within communities, we can build kinder and more empathetic cities and ensure that our growing diversity strengthens rather than erodes the social fabric of our neighbourhoods. This is the way to a more productive, healthier, safer and, ultimately, more prosperous city for everyone.
Lastly, I would like to finish with one final message to everyone reading this. London will always be a city full of opportunity and one that embraces people of different, nationalities, faiths and backgrounds. Whether it’s a love of Bollywood or Biryani, cricket or Kabaddi, I know the relationship between London and the great cities of India goes beyond simply economic interests and encompasses our culture, our values and our way of life too. This is what makes our relationship so special and I’m looking forward to a very productive trip, learning from each other and meeting as many people possible.
