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George Osborne to meet Narendra Modi on trade trip to India George Osborne to meet Narendra Modi on trade trip to India
(about 4 hours later)
George Osborne will meet the controversial new Indian prime minister on Tuesday, Narendra Modi, as he leads a mission to strike a series of multimillion-pound defence and construction deals.George Osborne will meet the controversial new Indian prime minister on Tuesday, Narendra Modi, as he leads a mission to strike a series of multimillion-pound defence and construction deals.
The UK chancellor and the foreign secretary, William Hague, will be the first senior British politicians to meet the Hindu nationalist leader since his landslide victory in May.The UK chancellor and the foreign secretary, William Hague, will be the first senior British politicians to meet the Hindu nationalist leader since his landslide victory in May.
They follow in the footsteps of senior French and Russian ministers as foreign politicians scrabble to win contracts in the infrastructure boom promised by Modi.They follow in the footsteps of senior French and Russian ministers as foreign politicians scrabble to win contracts in the infrastructure boom promised by Modi.
Addressing business leaders in Mumbai on Monday, Osborne said India was "on an exciting journey of reform" under the new prime minister, and called for the country to see the UK as a "reliable companion on that journey".Addressing business leaders in Mumbai on Monday, Osborne said India was "on an exciting journey of reform" under the new prime minister, and called for the country to see the UK as a "reliable companion on that journey".
"Let us link hands. Embrace the future together," he said."Let us link hands. Embrace the future together," he said.
Osborne appeared to be making a concerted effort to court Modi's government just two years after the UK re-established relations with him following a boycott. The last government broke off relations with Modi, a former mayor of Gujarat, after he was accused in 2002 of allowing, or even encouraging, riots that killed 1,000 people, mostly Muslims. Osborne appeared to be making a concerted effort to court Modi's government just two years after the UK re-established relations with him following a boycott. The last government broke off relations with Modi, a former chief minister of Gujarat, after he was accused in 2002 of allowing, or even encouraging, riots that killed 1,000 people, mostly Muslims.
A supreme court investigation found insufficient evidence to support the charges against the politician, who has always denied any wrongdoing. In a joint editorial in the Times of India, Hague and Osborne said they want to expand military exports to India. "We want our defence and aerospace companies to help bring India more cutting-edge technology, skills and jobs," they wrote.A supreme court investigation found insufficient evidence to support the charges against the politician, who has always denied any wrongdoing. In a joint editorial in the Times of India, Hague and Osborne said they want to expand military exports to India. "We want our defence and aerospace companies to help bring India more cutting-edge technology, skills and jobs," they wrote.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Osborne defended the UK's efforts to sell military equipment to Modi, saying India has "difficult neighbours" and has a right to defend itself. The chancellor said it was very early days but he had wanted to meet Modi to say that Britain and India "can do lots of good business together". "We took a decision in 2012 to re-establish contact with him," Osborne said.Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Osborne defended the UK's efforts to sell military equipment to Modi, saying India has "difficult neighbours" and has a right to defend itself. The chancellor said it was very early days but he had wanted to meet Modi to say that Britain and India "can do lots of good business together". "We took a decision in 2012 to re-establish contact with him," Osborne said.
"That has been very sensible given all that has happened since, in the way Mr Modi has managed to win an outright majority for the first time in Indian politics for 30 years, to create a real sense of excitement in India that economic reform is possible and is going to happen.""That has been very sensible given all that has happened since, in the way Mr Modi has managed to win an outright majority for the first time in Indian politics for 30 years, to create a real sense of excitement in India that economic reform is possible and is going to happen."
• This article was amended on 8 July 2014. An earlier version referred to Modi as a former mayor, rather than chief minister, of Gujarat.