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David Cameron has called for the UK and India to form one of "the great partnerships of the 21st century" as he arrives on a three-day tour of the country.
The Prime Minister, who is set to meet the Indian prime minister and president in the next few days, is leading a trade delegation including representatives of Rolls Royce, BP and BAE Systems.
Mr Cameron used the visit to unveil a new speedier visa application system for Indian businesspeople visiting the UK.
"Nine out of ten of those who apply for a visa get one and we are introducing today a same-day visa service for business people who want to come to Britain for linking up their businesses for trade and other things like that, and that’s why we’re going to introduce that service."
Mr Cameron is also seeking to allay concerns that the Government's immigration cap is discouraging Indian students from applying for British universities.
Writing for Central Lobby, Labour MP Jon Ashworth has warned that the immigration policies risk making the UK fall behind in the "global race" for competitiveness.
"It's no use this week David Cameron telling Indians one thing in Mumbai or Delhi, while his Home Secretary instructs the UK Borders Agency to do another," he writes.
"Maybe if our Prime Minister made a genuine commitment to changing immigration policy, I'd be more convinced by his efforts. Until then, this visit to India will just be an attempt to reap the benefits of Indian economic growth, without giving anything in return."
David Cameron's welcome mat to 'hardworking' Indians contrasts with attitudes towards the new EU entrants Continue to article
SNP press release SNP MP Pete Wishart has slammed David Cameron for “blatant hypocrisy” for welcoming Indian students to the UK, despite new immigration policy causing a sharp decline in numbers. In a round of TV interviews in Mumbai ... Continue to article
The Prime Minister made the announcement after arriving in Mumbai ahead of the largest trade mission ever to travel overseas with a prime minister. Continue to article
David Cameron says that the Government, the Conservatives, big companies and lots of other large organisations should have more women at a senior level. He says that the answer is not just conventional equal opportunities but a more active effort to encourage and facilitate women getting on. Continue to article
Mr Cameron insisted that the UK was still open to legitimate Indian students but said the Government had had to deal with a "totally broken immigration system". “First of all, Britain has got the biggest visa operation in India than we ... Continue to article
As the present-day Prime Minister begins his tour of India, we have to ask ourselves what kind of relationship he is offering to India today: a journey of equals towards shared economic prosperity, or simply the old one way street? Continue to article
Watch David Cameron answer questions at Hindustan Unilever. Continue to article
George Osborne wrote an article for the Observer yesterday committing to multilateral action against tax evasion and claiming to be leading G20 finance ministers in a new initiative. He also opposed m... Continue to article
David Cameron said from that from today there would be a same-day visa service for Indian business people wanting to come to Britain. "Nine out of ten of those who apply for a visa get one and we are introducing today a same-day visa ser... Continue to article
Lord Bilimoria said the Prime Minister needed to use his visit to India to clear up the confusion about the effect of the Government’s immigration cap on overseas students. “One of the biggest jewels in our crown in Britain is our univer... Continue to article
Writing on LinkedIn, David Cameron writes that trade delegations are 'a vital part of my job' as he begins a three-day visit to India. Continue to article
Patricia Hewitt, the chair of the UK India Business Council, said there was "a lot more to do" to expand trade links between the UK and India as David Cameron began a three-day visit to the country. “The foundation in a sense is already ... Continue to article
David Cameron: Why I’m leading the biggest delegation a British Prime Minister has ever taken anywhere in the world http://t.co/seT8z8i4
TUC press release The UK has experienced the second slowest export growth of all G7 countries since 2010, with only Japan faring worse, the TUC says today as it publishes its submission to the 2013 Budget. With the Chancellor identifyi... Continue to article
18/02/2013 on Breakfast, BBC Radio 5Live
18/02/2013 on Breakfast, BBC Radio 5live
Summaries and transcripts from TV and radio
46 minutes ago on Week in Westminster, BBC Radio 4
49 minutes ago on Week in Westminster, BBC Radio 4
58 minutes ago on Week in Westminster, BBC Radio 4
16/05/2013