India and the UK will build on the recommendations of a joint trade review to reduce barriers, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged that there would be no dilution in the importance of the UK to India post-Brexit, during a bilateral meeting on Wednesday.

Brexit and the potential to grow bilateral trade figured in discussions between the two Prime Ministers during the first of two bilateral meetings on Wednesday ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). A UK-India Tech Partnership was also agreed.

Downing Street said that May offered reassurances that the transition period to leaving the EU, set for the end of 2020, would give Indian firms and investors the visibility they needed up to this period. “Prime Minister Modi said there would be no dilution in the importance of the UK to India post-Brexit,” said Downing Street in a statement.

The visit is the third bilateral between the two Prime Ministers since 2015, as Britain has sought to emphasise the potential for growth in trade with non-EU partners once Britain leaves the EU.

Downing Street said that during the bilateral meeting the issue of the chemical weapon attacks in Syria and Salisbury were also discussed, with both leaders making clear their opposition to the use of chemical weapons in all circumstances. They also discussed priorities for the Indo-Pacific area and to work closely to ensure it remained free and open. They discussed defence and security cooperation, agreeing to work together closely to combat terrorism, radicalisation and online extremism.

Other issues raised included the release of the Chennai Six -former British soldiers released by Indian authorities last year, and the forthcoming CHOGM meeting in London.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets British Prime Minister Theresa May at 10 Downing Street. Photo: Vidya Ram

An MoU on the return of illegal migrants was signed during the morning meeting. the MoU is an update on an agreement that expired in 2014. More MoUs expected to be signed during the day.

Ahead of the briefing, Britain said that technology cooperation, trade and education would figure on the agenda. Modi arrived at Heathrow from Sweden late on Tuesday night.

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The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi having discussions with the UK Prime Minister Theresa May on multiple aspects of India-UK relations at 10, Downing Street, Britain on Wednesday (April 18).

 

 

“We have a living bridge growing between us, trade growing by 15% a year, the economic advantages and of course massive ties of culture and kinship and all the rest of it and now we want to build on that by working on that incredible tech sector where both India and the UK are making giant strides together,” said Boris Johnson.

British ministers had previously told Parliament that issues around the treatment of religious minorities would be raised during Modi’s visit but that it was likely to be done in private rather than through “megaphone diplomacy”.

In keeping with the technology and innovation theme of the visit, Modi visited the the science museum, currently home to Illuminating India, focussed on 5,000 years of science and innovation in the country. Later he visited the Basaweshwara statue. He unveiled the statue during his last visit in 2015 on the south bank of the Thames.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Basaweshwara statue. Photo: Vidya Ram

The Prime Minister will also launch an Ayurvedic Centre of Excellence, that will focus on “evidence based research” on Ayurveda and Yoga in London. He will also hold a second meeting with May and members of the UK-India CEO Forum, touring the research labs of the Francis Crick Institute, a biomedical research centre focussed on underlying causes of diseases, prevention and health.

The Prime Minister will then meet with the Queen at Buckingham Palace, followed by a Diaspora event in central London at which he will speak and take questions from an audience in the hall, as well as from beyond, collated from social media. His first day will conclude with the inaugural dinner for heads of governments attending CHOGM, ahead of the commencement of formal meetings tomorrow.

Around 500 Khalistan supporters protest at parliament square. Photo: Vidya Ram

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