Cameron has said trade deals worth £9 billion (12.7 billion euros/$13.7 billion) would be sealed during the visit.
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Cameron said London wanted to support Modi in his vision to transform India with improved infrastructure and education.
At a joint news conference, Cameron said relations between the two countries, once “imprisoned by the past”, were now a “modern, dynamic partnership” between the world’s fifth-largest economy – Britain – and India, which will soon rank third.
The trip will be the first time an Indian prime minister visits Britain in almost 10 years and is expected to yield billions of dollars (euros) worth of deals, including India buying more BAE Systems Hawk trainer jets for its armed forces.
“For those who are not there, I must say that in this point in time, it is wiser to be in India”. PM presented British Prime Minister David Cameron a specially handcrafted pair of bookends made of wood, marble and silver. Modi announced that the government will launch a new fast track mechanism to channel British investments in India.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Queen Elizabeth II on the second day of his high-profile official visit to Britain, as royal officials announced Prince William and his wife Kate will visit India next year.
A few 46 British MPs have signed a parliamentary motion urging Cameron to raise what they call human rights issues with the Indian government. Hundreds of protesters staged a demonstration outside Downing Street in London. Modi said terrorism was not a matter confronting just two or three countries. “India is a vibrant democracy and we are committed to it”, he said.
Ahead of his arrival, more than 200 writers, including Salman Rushdie and Ian McEwan, signed an open letter expressing concern about what they said was a “rising climate of fear” in India.
He was barred from the United Kingdom until 2012 over allegations that in 2002, when he was chief minister of Gujarat, he failed to stop anti-Muslim riots in which 1,000 people died.
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Modi also highlighted India’s commitment to reduce its emissions intensity by 33-35 percent by 2030 compared to 2005 levels and put in place 40 percent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources by 2030 through nationally determined development measures and priorities.
