India (Commonwealth Union)_ During a special reception held in the garden of 10 Downing Street, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to a truly ambitious free trade agreement (FTA) with India. The occasion marked the celebration of India Global Forum’s UK-India Week 2023, where Sunak engaged with prominent business leaders and notable figures, including boxing champion Mary Kom, musicians Shankar Mahadevan and Zakir Hussain, and Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor.
Describing this as the commencement of an “Indian summer” for the UK, Sunak revealed his plans to visit Delhi in September to participate in the multilateral G20 Summit. Notably, India serves as the host country for the summit as the current president of the multilateral grouping. Sunak highlighted the shared belief between himself and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the immense potential for growth and collaboration between the two nations. Emphasizing the progress made in developing a 2030 roadmap, he expressed the desire to forge a truly ambitious trade deal that would bring substantial opportunities to businesses and consumers in both India and the UK.
Joined by his wife Akshata Murty and mother-in-law Sudha Murty, Sunak emphasized that the aim was not just to celebrate UK-India Week, but to embrace a broader “Indian summer.” Sunak stated, “Prime Minister (Narendra) Modiji and I agree there’s huge potential here. We’re making great progress together on the 2030 roadmap, and we want to strike a truly ambitious trade deal that benefits both our nations, bringing tremendous opportunities to businesses and consumers, both in India and here at home. It’s not just UK-India Week, but a whole Indian summer”.
The UK-India Week 2023 represents the fifth installment of the India Global Forum’s (IGF) flagship event. Held in London from June 26th to June 30th, this weeklong event serves as a platform to recognize and strengthen the relationship between India and the UK. Further, it sheds light on crucial topics such as politics, trade, business, sustainability, inclusion, and innovation.
The fifth annual UK-India Week, organized by the IGF and ongoing until Friday, convenes ministers, business leaders, and policymakers to discuss key sectors within the bilateral relationship. IGF founder Manoj Ladwa, addressing the diverse gathering of individuals with distinct backgrounds and experiences, acknowledged their shared passion and contributions towards enhancing what he referred to as the “winning partnership” between the UK and India.
