British High Commissioner to India Sir Michael Arthur, speaking on the occasion, said an Indo-UK Science and Innovation Council would start functioning from next year.

Arthur said India was the eighth largest investor in Britain and over 500 Indian companies had their base now, including 100 Bangalore-based companies. India's exports to UK rose by 47 per cent and imports by 31 per cent. The bilateral trade was approaching $10 billion, he added.

He said 400,000 visas would be issued for those visiting Britain this year and hoped that it would cross the 500,000 mark within a few years.

Earlier, Karnataka Governor T N Chaturvedi inaugurated the four-day event in which over 300 companies from 17 countries and 16 states of India are participating.

An Indian visitor walks past a billboard, bearing pictures of Bollywood actor Ajay Devgan and his wife Kajol, at a stall at the Bangalore IT.in 2005.

Photograph: Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP/Getty Images

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