PM David Cameron (left), PM Narendra Modi (centre) and London Mayor Boris Johnson hold hands in London, yesterday. Photo: ReutersBritain and India welcomed the billions of pounds worth of trade deals during a visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Mr Modi got a warm welcome from British Prime Minister David Cameron, who has tried to cultivate closer ties with India to secure business opportunities in a fast-growing economy at a time when Mr Modi has been prioritising other relationships.
For his part, Mr Modi is seeking to restore his authority on the world stage after a defeat for his Hindu nationalist party in populous Bihar state on Sunday.
He appealed to business to invest in a more transparent India in a speech at the Guildhall, a historic building in the heart of London’s financial district.
While Mr Cameron said he wanted to support Mr Modi in his efforts to transform India with improved infrastructure and education, the Indian leader signalled he wanted Britain to vote to stay in the EU, saying the country was India’s gateway to Europe.
“We want to become your number one partner for supporting the finance needed for this ambitious plan, making London the world’s centre for offshore rupee trading,” M Cameron told him during a news conference, adding that plans were in place to issue more than £1 billion in bonds.
He also said British and Indian companies would announce new “collaborations” worth £9 billion pounds during Mr Modi’s visit, but gave few details.
PM Modi signals he wants Britain to vote to stay in the EU, saying the country is India’s gateway to Europe
Late yesterday, the British government said six deals had been agreed, including a £1.3 billion investment by Vodafone. The two prime ministers also welcomed a package to promote clean energy worth £3.2 billion of commercial agreements, joint research programmes and initiatives to share technical, scientific, and financial and policy expertise.
Before the visit, diplomats said the Indian leader was keen to buy 20 more BAE Systems Hawk trainer aircraft to be made in Bengaluru. Mr Cameron has visited India three times since taking office in 2010 to try to climb up the diplomatic pecking order, but Mr Modi is the first Indian head of government to pay an official visit to Britain, the country’s former colonial ruler, in almost a decade. His visit comes at a time when a debate is raging in India over accusations that Mr Modi is failing to rein in Hindu zealots trying to impose their values on all Indians.
As Mr Modi and Mr Cameron shook hands for the cameras outside Number 10 Downing Street, a crowd of about 200 protesters could be heard shouting anti-Modi slogans nearby.
“Our main concern is that minorities are not safe in India,” said Sikh protester Kuldip Singh.
Asked about these concerns, Mr Modi said India was a vibrant democracy in which individual rights were guaranteed by the Constitution.