Pune: British High Commissioner Michael Arthur today (Mar 3, 2004) said that his country had no plans to stop Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) to India.

The British Government was of the view that BPO was a part of trade and was committed to it, he said.

The envoy's comments assume significance in the backdrop of growing backlash against movement of jobs from Britain and US to India.

Stating that many British companies had started joint ventures with Indian companies, he said there can be better association between the two countries in the field of pharma, information technology and automobiles.

India was an important investor for Britain, the High Commissioner said.

The bilateral trade had grown by 30 per cent last year the envoy said, adding in Pune alone there were around 200 British companies.