PremiumNEW DELHI : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met his United Kingdom counterpart Rishi Sunak after assuming office for the first time on the sidelines of the 17th edition of the G20 Summit and discussed ways to boost trade between the two countries.
“Was great to meet PM @RishiSunak in Bali. India attaches great importance to robust India-England ties. We discussed ways to increase commercial linkages, raise the scope of security cooperation in context of India’s defence reforms and make people-to-people ties even stronger," PM Modi said in a tweet.
The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the state of the wide-ranging India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and progress on the Roadmap 2030 for Future Relations, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
The two leaders appreciated the importance of working together in bilateral and multilateral forums including G20 and the Commonwealth.
Discussions touched upon important sectors of collaboration such as trade, mobility, defence and security, it added.
“The leaders agreed on the enduring importance of the UK-India relationship, and of the living bridge between our countries. The Prime Minister passed on his thanks to Prime Minister Modi for the overwhelming response of the Indian people to his appointment as Prime Minister," Downing Street said in a statement.
“The leaders discussed the range of areas where the UK and India are working increasingly closely and have the opportunity to further develop our links, including defence and security," it added.
“They looked forward to the agreement of a UK-India free trade deal, which has the potential to unlock investment and increase jobs in both our countries, as well as expanding our deep cultural links," Sunak’s office said in a statement.
PM Modi and UK PM Rishi Sunak agreed that the UK and India’s shared values, not least our commitment to democracy, are a huge asset in international forums like the G20 and the Commonwealth.
Sunak’s office said that the Prime Minister welcomed the opportunity to work together on challenges like ending the war in Ukraine and tackling climate change under India’s presidency of the G20 next year.
The total trade between India and the UK stood at USD 17.5 billion in 2021-22.
Earlier in the Indonesia Joko Widodo handed over the G20 Presidency to India at the closing ceremony of the Bali summit. India will officially assume the G20 Presidency on 1 December 2022.