United Kingdom to upgrade Ahmedabad trade office to Deputy High Commission

NEW DELHI: The UK has decided to upgrade its trade office in Ahmedabad to Deputy High Commission, a significant move after a decade-long boycott of Narendra Modi after the riots in Gujarat during his tenure as Chief Minister in 2002.

This was conveyed by the visiting British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs William Hague during his meeting with Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj here today.

According to sources, the UK, which has a trade office in Ahmedabad, wants to deepen its economic and political ties with the state and would upgrade it to Deputy High Commission.

The move is seen as significant by the officials given that the trade office maintained a very low-profile during the boycott era of Modi.

The UK observed a diplomatic boycott of Modi for nearly a decade after the 2002 riots in Gujarat. The boycott was ended nearly a year and half ago when British High Commissioner James Bevan called on Modi, the then Gujarat Chief Minister, in Ahmedabad in 2012.