PM to visit UK, Turkey from November 12

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a two-nation tour of the UK and Turkey from November 12 during which issues related to economy, security and energy are expected to dominate the discussions he will have in bilateral format in Britain and at G-20 Summit in Turkey. In the first leg of the tour, he will travel to Britain where he will hold talks with Prime Minister David Cameron and visit the house in London where Dalit icon B R Ambedkar had lived. In a statement issued today ahead of the visit, Modi said he saw "immense scope" for improvement in trade and economic ties with Britain and expressed confidence that his first trip to the country as Prime Minister will help build on deepening and strengthening of relations, including in defence and security.

"On November 12, I will commence my visit to the United Kingdom. My visit is aimed at strengthening cooperation with a traditional friend that is not only a major economic partner of India but also one of the leading economic players of the world," he said ahead of his trip to the country. "India and UK are two vibrant democracies which are proud of their diversity and multicultural societies," he said.

Modi noted that the UK is one of the fastest growing G-7 economies and home to a strong financial services sector. It is known for its innovative zeal and for its creative industries, he said. "I see immense scope for our economic and trade relations to improve and this will benefit both our economies," he said.

Another area of importance for bilateral cooperation is defence, the Prime Minister said while noting that the countries have traditionally been cooperating extensively on defence and security issues. "This visit will build on strong ties," he said, while underlining that defence manufacturing will be a prime focus in his talks.