In his maiden visit to London, 13 years after he was barred from entering UK, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a very warm welcome from his British counterpart, David Cameron. PM Mod held at a joint press conference with his host David Cameron in London on Thursday.
Addressing the issue of intolerance in India, PM Modi clearly said that there is no place for intolerance in India and the country is committed to protecting every citizen’s freedom, and the law will deal severely with those who are intolerant.
Calling India as the land of Buddha and Gandhi, PM Modi said that India will not accept any deviation from its values.
“Every such incident is serious. We won’t tolerate such incidents,’ said PM Modi adding, India is a vibrant democracy and we are committed to it.”
In the joint press conference, UK Prime Minister Cameron said that trade deals worth £9 billion would be announced.
After talks with Cameron, Modi became the first Indian premier to address Britain’s parliament and was feted with a flypast by the Red Arrows aerobatics team, which trailed smoke over London in the colours of India’s flag. Cameron also announced that £1.0 billion of rupee-denominated bonds would be traded in London.
Cameron has also offered to lend support to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to achieve his goal of preparing young Indians for the 21st century.
Under the new UK-India Skills pledge, 11 UK companies have committed to support skills development in India. Together, the UK government and UK businesses will establish new “Centres of Excellence” in key sectors, starting with a centre for Automotive and Advanced Engineering in Pune, said the joint statement issued after the talks between the two leaders.
Cameron also announced a partnership to develop three ‘smart cities’ in India.
The British PM said, “This isn’t just a historic visit; it’s a historic opportunity. It’s an opportunity for two countries, tied by history, people and values, to work together to overcome the biggest challenges of our age. Prime Minister Modi and I intend to grab that opportunity with both hands. Because in doing so, we can make two of the greatest countries in the world even greater”.
PM Modi will have a lunch with Queen Elizabeth II as the Red Arrows Royal Air Force (RAF) Aerobatic Team will fly over the Buckingham Palace.
(With inputs from agencies)