PM departs for UK, Maldives; trade, terror to feature in talks

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that enhancing economic cooperation and strengthening efforts aimed at peace and stability in the Indian Ocean will be the focus of his two-nation tour of the United Kingdom and the Maldives.

- HT Correspondent

Modi departed for a two-day visit to the UK on Wednesday, with the formal signing of a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) set to be the highlight of the trip.

He will then travel to the Maldives during July 25-26 to be the guest of honour at the Indian Ocean archipelago’s Independence Day celebrations, marking a significant turnaround after a particularly frosty patch in ties.

India and the UK share a comprehensive strategic partnership that has witnessed significant progress in recent years and bilateral collaboration spans a wide range of areas such as trade, investment, technology, innovation, defence, education, research, sustainability, health and people-to-people ties, Modi said in a statement.