Kolkata, Jan 19 (IANS): Visiting British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Boris Johnson on Thursday backed a "living bridge" between India and the UK, asserting that his country is open to talent from India.

"I say (build) a living bridge between India and the UK. There are superb universities in the UK. We want continuity between India and the UK... between our higher education system and your university system," Johnson said at Presidency University.

"It's very very important. We must remain open to talent. Applications (for studying in the UK) went up 6 per cent last year. They had gone through a flat phase earlier," he said about Indian students in the UK.

Asked on anti-immigration sentiments affecting the applications from overseas to the UK, Johnson said International students are an asset.

"We have huge numbers of international students. This is an asset. This is an achievement. The Indian numbers are growing and we are trying to be as reasonable as possible in terms of visas. We are trying to be fluid," he said.