Bangalore: British Minister of State for E-Commerce and Competitiveness, Stephen Timms, is arriving in Bangalore next week to promote bilateral trade and investment in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector.

Timms would lead the UK delegation to Bangalore IT.COM 2002, Indian Silicon Valley's annual technology showpiece, that kicks off on October 28 and speak at the opening of the five-day event.

"India has an extremely strong technology skills base from which the UK can learn a great deal. And in return we can offer India a thriving technology market," he was quoted as saying on the eve of his three-day visit to India.

On October 28, Timms, who had worked in the computing and telecommunications industry for 15 years, would visit Genesys, Logica and Infosys, Second Secretary at the British Trade Office in Bangalore, Kelvin Green, told reporters on October 25.

Incidentally, he had worked for Logica and then for Ovum.

Timms would hold discussions with Minister of State for Communications and IT, Sumitra Mahajan, in New Delhi, top NASSCOM officials and also attend a round-table organised by FICCI on telecom regulatory issues on October 29.

At the Bangalore IT.COM, the British group of SMEs and business service providers would exhibit at the IT Nations pavilion, supported by Trade Partners UK and IntellectUK, leading trade association for the software and electronics industries in the UK, it was stated.

PTI