Feb. 19 – The United Kingdom’s Prime Minister David Cameron is in India this week on a trade mission to beat the drums for stronger trade links between the two countries, and to advocate the UK as India’s “partner of choice”. Prime Minister Cameron stressed the opportunities that an emerging Indian economy presents for the UK.
“I want Britain and India to have a very special relationship. India’s rise is going to be one of the big phenomena of the century and it is incredibly impressive to see the vibrancy of your democracy, the great strength of the diversity of your country and the enormous power of your economy that is going to be one of the top three economies by 2030. That’s why I’m here. Britain wants to be your partner of choice.”
Bringing with him the largest trade delegation ever assembled by a British Prime Minister, several policy initiatives were announced that intend to facilitate the deepening of relations between the two countries. This included a relaxation of consular rules allowing “same day” visa processing for Indian businessmen, as well as increased cooperation in cyber-security through a joint dedicated task-force.
Prime Minister Cameron also pledged £1 million to facilitate the research of a Mumbai-Bangalore economic corridor (if provided a matching grant by the Indian government). Getting British businesses involved in this development was acknowledged as a priority by Prime Minister Cameron, who identified an economic corridor as a major source of future economic growth.
