India, UK to double trade by 2015

UK Foreign Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs William Hague, who was in New Delhi recently, said that India and the UK are on course to hit the target of doubling trade by 2015.

“Since 2010, our partnership has truly become stronger, wider and deeper. British companies are leading and investing in key sectors. Indian companies have chosen to invest more in the UK than in the European Union,” he told newsmen after a meeting with External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid.

“Trade and investment is the most important plank of our growing bilateral relationship. Security and defence form an important part of the relations. Cyber security has been added to the list,” he stated.

On the UK Government plans of providing aid to India after 2015, Mr. Haguesaid: “I think that both the Governments are agreed on the way forward. The

International Development Secretary will make a statement on this in the near future. You will not have to wait for long to hear as to how we intend to proceed”.

Mr. Khurshid said the two Ministers discussed trade and investment co-operation at international, bilateral and multilateral levels. “Aid is the past and trade is the future. We are looking at the future,” he remarked.

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