The Labour Party in the UK welcomed His Excellency Vikram Doraiswami, the High Commissioner of India, on July 4, to a reception at the Palace of Westminster.
The event, organised by Stockport MP Navendu Mishra, provided an opportunity to discuss the progress of trade deal negotiations between Britain and India.
It marked the first time the High Commissioner addressed exclusively members of the Labour Party and businesses with shared interests in both countries.
During the reception, the High Commissioner emphasised trade relations in light of the ongoing Free Trade Agreement negotiations, as well as cultural ties and the deepening relationship between the two nations.
The Leader of the Labour Party, Keir Starmer, had previously expressed support for a trade agreement, highlighting its potential to create new job opportunities in the UK.
The event, sponsored by the UK India Business Council and Diageo, featured a speech from the Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade, Nick Thomas-Symonds MP.
The UK currently hosts over 900 Indian companies with a combined turnover of £54 billion, demonstrating the strong existing links, and India stands as the second-largest investor in the UK.
Following the reception, Thomas-Symonds affirmed that the UK-India relationship would be a central pillar of the next Labour government’s foreign policy, emphasising a commitment to a free trade deal and collaboration on various global issues.
He said, “Labour is committed to a free trade deal with India and working closely on a range of issues from the world economy to tackling climate change and global security.”
Navendu Mishra MP expressed his pleasure in hosting the High Commissioner exclusively for Labour parliamentarians, stressing the importance of maintaining a positive relationship with India as Labour politicians.
Kevin McCole, Managing Director of the UK India Business Council, highlighted the positive momentum in the bilateral relationship and welcomed the commitment to enhance relations, emphasising the potential for collaboration and achievements between the two countries.
He said, “We look forward to working with both governments and businesses to unlock the huge potential that exists in the UK-India corridor.”
