Can’t ignore Gujarat if you want stronger ties with India: Britain

New Delhi, 7 December 2012

Delivering a lecture The UK and India: Myths, Reality and Prospects, on Thursday, British High Commissioner in India James Bevan cited the recent decision of Britain to re-engage with Gujarat on trade and easing travel advisory on Jammu and Kashmir to show that his country likes to have a robust partnership with the country.

“Our belief that India will matter more and more in future, and that all of India matters, also played a part in our recent decision to change our policy on Gujarat. Since the 2002 riots, the British government has had no high level contact with the government of Gujarat.

“But if you want to build a stronger relationship with India, as we do, you can’t ignore Gujarat. And if you want to deal with any Indian state, you need to deal with the government of that state,” he said.

On the Gujarat chief minister, Bevan said Modi is democratically elected and “if you want to deal with a state in India you need to deal with the government of that state and you need to deal with the democratically elected chief minister.”