UK-India relations blossom in 2011; bilateral trade crossed the 13 billion-pound mark

LONDON: India and the UK took forward their "special and unique" relationship in 2011 by consolidating cooperation in fields like counter-terrorism, defence and trade and identified ways to further develop their closer and stronger partnership.

The bilateral trade crossed the 13 billion-pound mark and the investment from Britain to India also increased substantially.

During the year, the investment from Britain to India was "20 times more than the previous year", a spokesman of the Indian House here said, without elaborating.

The year also witnessed several Ministerial-level visits both from India to the UK and vice versa.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath and Heavy Industry and Public Enterprises Minister Praful Patel visited the UK, while from Britain Defence Secretary Liam Fox was among those who travelled to India.

Krishna met British Secretary of State William Hague here on June 30 and discussed ways to further develop a closer and stronger partnership with the UK.

The then Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao also met Permanent Under Secretary in the British Foreign Office Simon Fraser and discussed a wide range of foreign policy matters like Afghanistan, Middle East, UNSC reform, counter-terrorism and climate change.

India and the UK share a special and unique relationship, bound by shared values and ties, including the ideals of democracy, the rule of law, inclusiveness and pluralism, an official statement issued after the meeting had said.

Finance Minister Mukherjee, who spoke at the Fourth Ministerial Level India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue here on July 25, said the Dialogue, established in 2005, had contributed successfully towards strengthening bilateral relationship.

The two countries also agreed to work towards signing a Memorandum of Understanding which will enhance cooperation and deepen engagement between them in the areas like capacity building, land economics, heritage management, sustainable master planning and transport planning.

The decision was taken during a visit of Minister of Urban Development Kamal Nath to London on October 14.