Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reiterated India’s commitment to the understanding reached at the WTO meet in Bali, including on trade facilitation. In his meeting with Britain’s Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg here Modi expressed support for trade facilitation measures.

Modi, however, emphasised the need to move forward simultaneously on all the agreements reached in Bali, including on food security, to address the interests of all sections of society, particularly the poor people. Clegg, who heads a 40-member delegation comprising representatives from companies inaerospace, retail and higher education sectors, kicked off his three-day trade mission in New Delhi, with an aim to strengthen economic ties.

An official statement said Modi also called for greater collaboration between India and the UK in the areas of education, skills development, clean energy, infrastructure development, and cleaning of rivers, the statement added.

Later, in his keynote address at the UK India GREAT business conference here, Clegg said that the UK is India’s biggest G-20 investor, and it is ready and able to help India’s new Government boost growth and job creation.

Clegg said, “In the meeting with the Prime Minister, we discussed various issues and paid attention to economic commercial battles ranging from company specific issues to future WTO trade facilitation agreement.”

There was heavy emphasis on education, Clegg said and clarified the misapprehension about visa arrangements for students. “Indian students are welcome in Britain and we are working on boosting more student exchanges,” he added.

Clegg also plans to meet a delegation of Delhi University students.

He also announced that UK-based shoe company Pavers will invest £10 million in India to increase its store count here from 35 to 100.

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