London: Britain’s prime ministerial candidate Rishi Sunak said he wants to change the UK-India relationship to make it a two-way exchange that opens up easy access to UK students and companies in India.
During a campaign hustings event hosted by the Conservative Friends of India (CFIN) diaspora organization in north London on Monday evening, the former Chancellor greeted the largely British Indian gathering with a mix of traditional greetings such as “namaste,salaam, khem cho, and kidda”.
He even broke into Hindi: “Aap sab mere parivar ho (you all are my family).” “We know the UK-India relationship is important. We represent the living bridge between our two countries,” he said, in response to a question about bilateral ties from CFI N co-chair Reena Ranger.
“We are all very aware of the opportunity for the UK to sell things and do things in India, but actually we need to look at that relationship differently because there is an enormous amount that we here in the UK can learn from India,” he said.
“I want to make sure that it’s easy for our students to also travel to India and learn, that it’s also easy for our companies and Indian companies to work together because it’s not just a one-way relationship, it’s a two-way relationship, and that’s the type of change I want to bring to that relationship,” he said.
In China, the former minister reiterated his stand on the need to be “very robust” in defending the UK against its aggressiveness. “China and the Chinese Communist Party represent the biggest threat to our economy and thereby national security that this country has faced in a long time and we need to be alive to that,” he said.
“Be in no doubt, as your Prime Minister I will do whatever it takes to keep you, your families, and our country safe because that’s the first duty of a Conservative Prime Minister,” he added.
After a grand entry at the Dhamecha Lohana Centre in Harrow to dhol beats and loud cheers, the former minister spoke briefly and then spent hours interacting with hundreds of Tory members who queued up to shake hands with him. He was showered with blessings by the elderly in the crowd, patted on the back by others and eight-year-old Tanish Sahu got a special picture as Mr.Sunak carried him in his arms.
