Indian Prime Minister to Visit UK Thursday to Strengthen Cooperation

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will make a state visit to the United Kingdom on Thursday to boost economic, diplomatic and military ties.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Modi announced in a recent Facebook post his November 12-14 visit to Britain is aimed at strengthening cooperation "with a traditional friend that is not only a major economic partner of India but also one of the leading economic players in the world."

Defense manufacturing is expected to be the "prime focus" of Modi’s visit to Britain, he said.

In the first trip to Britain by an Indian leader in nearly a decade, Modi is scheduled to lunch with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace and hold talks with Prime Minister David Cameron both in London and Cameron’s private retreat in Chequers.

Modi will give an out-of-session UK Parliament address and plans to attract British investment at a roundtable with chief executives in London.

Modi is expected to "deepen the bond" with the large Indian diaspora in the country at an address at Wembley Stadium on the second day of his visit on Friday. Up to 60,000 are expected to attend.

After unveiling a statue of Basava, a 12th century Indian statesman and philosopher, Modi is scheduled to travel to Turkey for the G20 Summit on Saturday.

Britain is the third largest source of foreign investment in India, and India is Britain's the third largest source of foreign direct investment in project numbers, Modi said.