New British premier to visit India in July

TORONTO - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has once again invited his newly-elected British counterpart David Cameron to visit India — an offer that was immediately accepted and decided for July.

Manmohan Singh met Cameron Saturday for the first time after the latter replaced Gordon Brown as the British prime minister. The meeting took place on the margins of the G20 Summit here.

“Cameron had visited India in 2006 as leader of the opposition and he fondly recalled that visit. He said he was looking forward to visiting India again,” Vishnu Prakash, official spokesperson for the external affairs minister, told reporters here.

According to Prakash, the two leaders were also keen to expand ties between the two countries, especially in the economic field, which has seen their bilateral trade expand to around $13 billion, with scope for much more.

Britain is also the fourth largest investor in India, even as Indian investments in the country have grown sizeably over the past few years.

“Our prime minister said he would welcome - like to see - more British investments in India.”

On the process at G20, Manmohan Singh said it was necessary to continue with the stimuli packages as the global recovery was still underway.

“Our prime minister said he would like to see continued, concerted efforts by all countries so that global recovery gets further consolidated as the process was somewhat tentative.”

Cameron, on the other hand, noted that Indians formed the second largest community of overseas students in the country and that Britain would continue to welcome more such youth from the country.

“He also underscored the need to reform international institutions, including the United Nations and reiterated Britain’s support for India’s candidature for a permanent membership of the Security Council.”