Warm Welcome from the Indian Diaspora in the UK
Members of the Indian diaspora in the United Kingdom, especially those from the Dawoodi Bohra community, have shown great enthusiasm for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ongoing visit. They have expressed admiration for his long-standing relationship with their community and his global leadership.
A member of the Dawoodi Bohra community in London shared, “We are incredibly excited to welcome Prime Minister Modi. As Dawoodi Bohras, we are very proud of the relationship that the Prime Minister has with our community. He has been a friend of our community for many years. As a proud Dawoodi Bohra and a British citizen, we welcome him to the UK and look forward to meeting him.”
Another community member echoed these sentiments, saying, “I’m very excited. This is my first time personally meeting PM Modi. He’s a great friend to the Dawoodi Bohra community. It will always be a pleasure to meet him. We welcome him and we hope that one day he will visit us at our mosque in the UK as well.”
The excitement surrounding the Prime Minister’s visit is not limited to the Dawoodi Bohra community. Members of the broader Indian diaspora in the UK also showed their appreciation for Modi’s leadership and global influence.
Preena, a member of the Indian diaspora in London, stated, “I am so excited to see PM Modi. My family and I are huge fans of PM Modi. He has done so much for India’s progress. He made India a Vishwaguru. He made India very powerful on the world stage.”
Diplomatic Significance of the Visit
Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the United Kingdom is not only being welcomed warmly by the Indian community but also carries significant diplomatic importance. The visit marks the first leg of his two-nation trip, with both countries aiming to strengthen bilateral ties through the signing of a Free Trade Agreement.
PM Modi arrived in London for a two-day visit. In his departure statement, he highlighted the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and the UK, which has seen substantial progress in recent years. “Our collaboration spans a wide range of sectors, including trade, investment, technology, innovation, defence, education, research, sustainability, health, and people-to-people ties,” he said.
During his visit, PM Modi will engage in discussions with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The two leaders will focus on enhancing economic partnerships aimed at fostering prosperity, growth, and job creation in both countries. Additionally, PM Modi will pay a visit to King Charles III.
This will be PM Modi’s fourth visit to the United Kingdom since taking office. He previously visited in 2015 and 2018, and was present in 2021 for the COP26 summit in Glasgow. Within the last year alone, PM Modi and PM Starmer have met twice—first on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro last year, and more recently in June in Kananaskis, Canada, during the G7 summit.
Strengthening India-UK Relations
The India-UK partnership was upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2021, leading to regular high-level political exchanges. Both nations remain committed to elevating this partnership further. The proposed trade deal aims to eliminate or reduce tariffs on imports and exports between the two countries, making Indian products more competitive in the UK and vice versa.
Both nations aim to increase their trade to USD 120 billion by 2030. Following his visit to the UK, PM Modi will travel to the Maldives as the second leg of his tour.
