PM Narendra Modi’s UK Visit: Top 7 Things On Agenda

India’s prime minister Narendra Modi arrives in London on the latest leg of what is turning into an 18-month world tour. Modi will embark on a 5-day visit (November 12, 2015 to November 16, 2015) to Britain beginning Thursday, for the first time in nearly a decade, in a trip that is expected to yield billions in investment and trade deals. Modi will address parliament, meet David Cameron, talk with business leaders and have lunch with the Queen.

PM Narendra Modi's UK Visit

“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. India and UK are two vibrant democracies, which are proud of their diversity and multicultural societies,” Narendra Modi said in a Facebook post.

Ahead of his visit, we look at the top 7 things on his agenda.

1. Modi will hold talks with British counterpart David Cameron at 10 Downing Street and address a joint press conference at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Both sides are likely to sign a number of agreements and are likely to come out with three separate “outcome documents” on development partnership, defence and security, and on energy and climate change, listing initiatives to boost ties in these areas.

2. Have lunch with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace – an honour usually only accorded to heads of state. A lunch with the Queen of England is indeed special and Modi is expected to have a quiet lunch with the Queen who has seen India’s transformation since her reign began in 1952. This luncheon will take place on November 13.

3. Deliver an address at the British Parliament. He will also address a reception at the Wembley stadium on Friday, expected to be attended by around 60,000 people – three times bigger than the crowd he drew to New York’s Madison Square Garden last year.

4. Expand defence cooperation and raise security issues. Defence manufacturing will be a prime focus of talks. There will also be deliberations on clean energy besides exploring ways to enhance cooperation in the fields of science, technology and education.

5. India and Britain could announce deals worth 8-12 billion pounds ($12-$18 billion) during the visit, according to diplomats, with Modi keen to buy 20 more BAE Systems Hawk trainer aircraft to be made in Bengaluru.

6. On Friday, Modi returns to London for a CEOs round-table which is likely to include representatives from major British companies like Rolls-Royce and Vodafone. The focus of the meeting is likely to be PM’s pitch for the ‘Make in India’ campaign.

7. Modi will leave for Ankara to attend the G20 summit on Saturday after inaugurating a new statue of 12th century philosopher Basaveshwara as well as a new Ambedkar memorial in London.

A visit to the Tata Motors’ owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) factory in Solihull, in the West Midlands region of England, will be the last item on his UK agenda.

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