Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell went to India last week, leading a trade delegation to encourage the Indian film industry – the biggest in the world – to make more movies in the UK and use British film talent both sides of the camera.

Ten Indian films were shot in the UK in 2001, spending £2.5 million – but the potential to build on that partnership is enormous. India produced more than 1,000 films in 2001. Watching films is the most popular form of entertainment in the Indian sub-continent with nearly 3 billion trips made to the cinema each year.

Tessa Jowell's visit started with a keynote address to nearly 2000 business delegates at the Frames entertainment festival in Mumbai. Her speech discussed the opportunities and threats facing the global creative community.

She highlighted the need for joint international efforts to tackle piracy. She also spoke about the Government's intention to create a forum - jointly with the creative industries - to consider some of the key issues surrounding the protection of intellectual property rights.

Tessa Jowell said:
"We have to get the consumer on our side. Theft of intellectual property rights is not a victimless crime. But that's often how it's portrayed. As long as consumers don't see the connection between a cheap pirated video bought in a market and the real threat to the movie making future, we won't make much progress."  

Tessa Jowell also highlighted an example of current co-operation, with an initiative in Leicester. EM Media - one of the British delegation at Frames - are part of a partnership bringing together local development authorities and media agencies to promote their City as the European capital for South Asian media. 

For more information, visit www.culture.gov.uk