Lord Karan Bilimoria, Chair of the new India (Trade and Investment) All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) has called on Prime Minister Sunak to lead a large business delegation to India, as soon as possible.
Addressing a debate titled “The Importance of the Relationship Between the United Kingdom and India”, Lord Bilimoria said, “As a boy, Narendra Modi sold tea at his father’s tea stall at a railway station in Gujarat. Today he is one of the most powerful people on this planet as Prime Minister of India.
“Today India has the presidency of the G20. Today India has a vision to become, in the next 25 years, the second-largest economy in the world with a GDP of $32 billion. The Indian express has left the station. It is now the fastest train in the world—the fastest-growing major economy in the world. The UK must be its closest and most trusted friend and partner in the decades ahead.”
Baroness Sandip Verma, who is the President of the APPG, is scheduled to take the first cross-party delegation to India in April.
In response to the debate, UK Foreign Office Minister for South Asia Lord Tariq Ahmad said, “As one of the world’s biggest and fastest-growing economies, India is a key partner to the UK… A strong trade deal with India could boost the UK economy by billions of pounds over the long term, helping families across the country. Cutting red tape and high tariffs could also make it easier and cheaper for UK companies to sell in India, driving growth and supporting jobs.”
