British prime minister to visit India in July

Britain's new prime minister David Cameron, who heads the Conservative-Liberal Democrats coalition government, would visit India in July, official sources said today.

Prime minister Manmohan Singh today met Cameron for the first time on the sidelines of G-20 Summit here after latter took over as British premier last month.

Singh congratulated Cameron on his victory and extended an invitation to him to visit India which he accepted and would be coming in July, officials said.

Cameron had visited India in 2006 as a leader of opposition.

Like the previous Labour government, the new coalition
government is also keen to build a special relationship with
India.

Prime minister Singh told Cameron that he was looking forward to his visit to India. 

India and Britain had raised their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership level in 2006 and both the leaders agreed that there was huge potential to expand relationship in trade and human resource development.



Trade between the two countries is estimated at $13 billion and UK is the fourth largest single investor in India. 

 India also has considerable investment in Britain.

The British prime minister said that he would welcome more Indian students to come to Britain for studies. 

The two leaders shared the views on the G20 Summit. 

Singh told him that concerted efforts were needed by all countries to see that global recovery was consolidated as at the moment it was seen to be tentative.

Cameron underlined the need for reforms of the international financial institutions and the UN and backed India's candidature for a permanent seat in the UNSC.