Tuesday, July 19 2005 12:13 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: India has really pulled itself towards being a world-class power in the last few years but Europe still has a patronizing attitude towards it, Lord Swraj Paul, NRI industrialist has said.

"People of India have realized the benefit of globalisation and in the last five-six years they have started enjoying the globalisation and the common man seems to be getting the benefit of it," Lord Paul told CNN last night (July 18, 2005).

He said the success in Information Technology has given much confidence to Indians.

"Indians have all of a sudden become self-confident and are working hard and producing results. The common man seems to feel that he is going to get the benefit out of it."

Answering a question, Lord Paul, who is the British Ambassador for Overseas Business said, "While outsourcing has become a subject of hue and cry, in the end it will become a pattern in the world because jobs will go wherever people work hard and are competitive. What I find is that in India the young boys and girls coming out of colleges are enjoying challenges, are ambitious and want to prove themselves," he said.

Asked about the scourge of corruption, Lord Paul, Chairman of the Caparo group which plans to establish six more plants in India, said there has been a tangible decline owing to the transparency and reforms.

"Fortunately, Manmohan Singh, who makes, in my opinion a wonderful prime minister, is keen to remove corruption. He is determined to succeed. He is impeccably honest and because of that people would like him to succeed and that is what gives him the strength."

Asked whether Congress would win if there is an election, Lord Paul quipped "I hope so." In order to win elections, "you got to deliver and I hope he can deliver with all constrains as people's expectation is rising all the time," he said.