British PM off to India seeking new special ties

[DesiGuy]

LONDON: Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron goes to India this week targeting a new special relationship with the former jewel in its colonial crown, now one of the world's fastest-growing economies.


Cameron, accompanied by his most senior ministers and bosses from some of Britain's biggest companies, hopes to agree a string of lucrative trade and partnering deals during the visit.
Since taking power in May, Cameron has said he wants British foreign policy to focus more on business in a bid to boost the economy as it emerges from recession facing deep budget cuts to combat record state debt.

“I want to refashion British foreign policy, the Foreign Office, to make us much more focused on the commercial aspects... making sure we are demonstrating Britain is open for business,” Cameron said last week.

His coalition government has singled out India as a key partner, saying it wants the two countries to forge a “new special relationship” and backing India for a permanent seat at the UN Security Council.

Cameron's finance minister George Osborne, who is joining the trip, wrote in the Sunday Telegraph that this would be the “strongest British delegation to visit India in modern times”, including bosses from mobile phone company Vodafone and defence giant BAE Systems.

But some experts question what India has to gain from building closer ties with Britain when other, much bigger powers like the United States and Japan are also courting it.
\“The question is, what can we offer India?”, Gareth Price, head of the Asia Programme at London foreign affairs think-tank Chatham House, told AFP.

Ties between Britain and India go back a long way.


DAWN.COM | World | British PM off to India seeking new special ties

 

[DGMO]

A key plank in UK foreign policy. They want to cultivate these ties and strengthen them.

Already defence ties are in full swing (India purchasing 57 extra Hawks), but India offers a lot more than that.

The sheer number of skilled Indian manpower (which is flooding the UK), and commercial opportunities available for both sides, will see this as a growing alliance.

I wish our discussions with the UK could be broader than the dominating topics of aid and terrorism. Will take a while and improved governance (wishful thinking) for that to happen.

 

[Jackdaws]

UK suffers from this amnesia like syndrome. The Empire is done and dusted. They have been kicked out of India. It has been 60 years - it is no longer considered even a Tier-2 power - either economically or culturally or militarily. Countries like Japan, Germany, China etc. are more important. Besides good Scotch Cameron has nothing new to offer. And I hope Mallya buys most of that too.

 

[ramu]

UK suffers from this amnesia like syndrome. The Empire is done and dusted. They have been kicked out of India. It has been 60 years - it is no longer considered even a Tier-2 power - either economically or culturally or militarily. Countries like Japan, Germany, China etc. are more important. Besides good Scotch Cameron has nothing new to offer. And I hope Mallya buys most of that too.

UK still has the edge in cutting edge technology in some areas and it is foolish to write off a country with a history like the United Kingdom.

 

[leo1476]

Apparently no one (Indian officials or British) have any clue what "enhanced relationship" Cameron is talking about.

The Indians don't even know why Cameron is coming to visit them! They are just humoring him.

Here is the Hindu article:

www.thehindu.com/opinion/columns/Hasan_Suroor/article501604.ece

 

[Dance]

Why is this in the PAKISTAN national political issues? I request the mods to move this thread

 

[Jackdaws]

UK still has the edge in cutting edge technology in some areas and it is foolish to write off a country with a history like the United Kingdom.

If history were the benchmark - I should not rule out the Incas, Ethiopians or Zulus either. And I am curious - in which field does the UK have technology superior to those possessed by USA, Germany or Japan?

 

[Areesh]

Good but why is it in the National Political Issues section?

 

[Pride]

UK suffers from this amnesia like syndrome. The Empire is done and dusted. They have been kicked out of India. It has been 60 years - it is no longer considered even a Tier-2 power - either economically or culturally or militarily. Countries like Japan, Germany, China etc. are more important. Besides good Scotch Cameron has nothing new to offer. And I hope Mallya buys most of that too.

Jackdaws, While I agree with your most of the part still I feel the diplomatic relation and cooperation between "any" two country is always needed and should be further improved. We are still a developing country and we need market. Britain along with other UK countries can be used for the same. Apart from them, I still find British engineers / architects can be helpful for us to develop new cities or rebuilding them.

 

[Krishnadevaraya]

Apparently no one (Indian officials or British) have any clue what "enhanced relationship" Cameron is talking about.

The Indians don't even know why Cameron is coming to visit them! They are just humoring him.

[/url]

He will be pitching for the sale of Queen elizabeth-II.It is clear and open that UK needs india more than India needs UK.Brown screwed the reationship a big time due to his american syndrome.It wont be the case with Cameron anymore as he knows who was the real game changer even in the Britan general elections and whose money is making them gain some seats. Probably Brown might have forgotten to take advice from Blair on how to begg funds from Indian expats to increase publicity.

As per my opinion Cameron is making some wise steps.One of his hidden agenda will be defence ties.No wonder Indian artillery deal hit the road block again.Cameron visit will clear some tears of the BAE eyes.In short all 3 forces of India will be befitted.Hawk deal went through,soon will be the Bofors-155mm and the inking of elizabeth class.
There is another reason for IN showing hidden interests in this carrier which will be only readied by 2017.IN has its doubts about the completion of IAC-II by 2017 which ofcourse will be similar in size of Elizabeth class.IN also thinking to go nuclear for the same.This might put additional pressure on the carrier construction and stretch the timeliness which thereby creates a void in the requirement.

Hence the most realistic of having IAC-II in the IN command will be no less than 2020(if Nuclear is the way to go down the road).An elizabeth will fit the bill and timeline and offers IN a true AC to project its power far away from its bases.
Also Cameron will apologize on behalf of the Queen for not attending the CWG which are due in OCT.

In all this is a smart move from an young prime minister to cleanup the mess created by his predecessors and forge a strong relationship with a fast growing economy which turned out to be an equal investor compared to US in UK.