British High Commissioner in Delhi to meet the Chief Minister of Gujarat
Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire has spoken ahead of the British High Commissioner in New Delhi's visit to Gujarat.
The Minister for India said:
“I have asked the British High Commissioner in New Delhi to visit Gujarat and to meet the Chief Minister and other senior figures in the state. This will allow us to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest and to explore opportunities for closer cooperation, in line with the British Government’s stated objective of improving bilateral relations with India.
“The UK has a broad range of interests in Gujarat. We want to secure justice for the families of the British nationals who were killed in 2002. We want to support human rights and good governance in the state.
We also want to provide the best possible support for British nationals who live in, work in or visit Gujarat; and to the many Gujaratis who now make up one of the most successful and dynamic communities in the UK. As part of this government’s commitment to strengthen relations with India, we have an interest in ensuring that we provide a full and consistent range of services across the whole country.
“I feel that active engagement will help further these interests. We will consider in the light of the High Commissioner’s visit how best to take forward our relationship with Gujarat.”