PM’s upcoming visit to the United Kingdom (UK) and Turkey

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi will be visiting United Kingdom (UK) and Turkey from November 12, 2015 to November 16, 2015. In a series of Facebook posts the Prime Minister said: On November 12, I will commence my visit to the United Kingdom. My visit is aimed at strengthening cooperation with a traditional friend that is not only a major economic partner of India but also one of the leading economic players of the world. India and UK are two vibrant democracies, which are proud of their diversity and multicultural societies. UK is one of the fastest growing G-7 economies and is home to a strong financial services sector. It is known for its innovative zeal and for its creative industries. You would be interested to know that UK has the largest diplomatic presence in India and is the 3rd largest source of foreign investment in our country. India too is the 3rd largest source of FDI (in terms of the number of projects) in UK. I see immense scope for our economic and trade relations to improve and this will benefit both our economies. Another area of importance for bilateral cooperation is defence. We have traditionally been cooperating extensively on defence and security issues and this visit will build on strong ties. Defence manufacturing will be a prime focus in my talks. There will be deliberations on clean energy and I will seek to achieve progress in our endeavour to make clean energy more affordable and accessible for the 1.25 billion people of India, as also to enhance bilateral cooperation in the fields of science, technology and education. UK remains a preferred choice for Indian students. My visit to UK is the first Prime Ministerial visit in almost a decade. I have had the opportunity to meet Prime Minister David Cameron at various international forums and our meetings have been productive. Prime Minister Cameron is a good friend of India’s, and we in India have had the privilege of welcoming him thrice during his first term as Prime Minister. I am confident my UK visit will deepen our ties and we will cooperate extensively in a range of areas of shared interests. In UK, I will attend a wide range of programmes. I will have the honour of meeting Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace at a lunch hosted by her. There will be comprehensive talks with Prime Minister David Cameron. We will meet in London and then at Chequers. We will be discussing a variety of issues of mutual interest. To explore avenues of more effective economic cooperation, I will interact with CEOs at a roundtable in London. I always look forward to such discussions because it entails frank dialogue and constructive feedback from investors. My message to the business community is clear – come, make use of the opportunities India is offering and invest in India. I will visit the British Parliament to give an address. I thank the Speaker of the House of Commons for this opportunity, considering that the UK Parliament is not in session. I will address the City of London at an event at The Old Library, Guildhall. There will also be a visit to the Jaguar Land Rover factory at Solihull. In London, I will pay homage at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, who is a great source of inspiration for the entire world. People-to-people ties are crucial for every bilateral relationship to grow. UK is home to a 1.5 million-people strong Indian diaspora, who have contributed greatly to society in different walks of life. Lakhs of professionals and students are also working and studying in Britain. We want to deepen the bond between our diaspora and the people of India. On November 13, I will address our diaspora community at Wembley Stadium. I have already requested you to share your inputs and thoughts for through the mobile app. I will meet some of you who will share their ideas and attend the event. London has a very strong link with India’s freedom struggle. Many of our leaders lived, worked or studied in London. One such great leader was Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. It is a matter of immense joy and pride that I will visit the place where Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar lived during his stay in London. Just recently, this place has been acquired by the Government of Maharashtra and it will be converted into a museum for people to visit and pay their respects. On November 14, I will unveil a statue of Basaveshwara, a great scholar, philosopher and statesman who contributed greatly to our culture and tradition My visit to Turkey for G20 Summit will commence on November 14. This Summit is being held at a critical juncture, just after the adoption of Sustainable Development Goals agenda at the United Nations, and just before discussions on climate change at COP-21 in Paris on Nov 30-Dec 1. During the Summit, we will review the progress on decisions taken at the Brisbane Summit and take up issues of climate change, terrorism, refugees, weak growth in global economy, strategies for growth and employment, investment strategies, trade, energy and financial sector resilience. Like last year, India’s focus on mitigating the menace of black money, tax erosion and bringing greater transparency remains. There will be several bilateral meetings too with world leaders on the sidelines of the Summit, which will help deepen our bilateral ties.