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TONY
BLAIR STRENGTHENS INDO-BRITISH RELATIONSHIP
(3 March 2005)
 In
a rousing speech given today at the Annual Luncheon of the Labour
Friends of India group, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair sought to strengthen
ties between India and the UK by highlighting the common values
between the two nations. "A belief in opportunity and fairness,
and reward for hard work. We share a real passion for education
and a belief in the importance of family and community", he
told the gathered audience of over by 300 prominent Indian businessmen
and politicians.
 Held
at the Cafe Royal in London, the luncheon was also supported by
The Rt. Hon. Mr Charles Clarke MP, Home Secretary, The Rt. Hon.
Mrs Patricia Hewitt MP, Trade Secretary, The Rt. Hon. Mr Paul Boateng
MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Ms Fiona Mactaggart, Home Office
Minister, Mr Tony McNulty MP, Transport Minister, Mr Barry Gardiner
MP, Northern Ireland Minister, Lord David Triesman, Lords Whip (Minister)
and Keith Vaz MP.
 The
event, co-ordinated by the Chairman of Labour Friends of India,
Stephen Pound MP, was undoubtedly a key launch pad in Labour's Campaign
to win the next general election. Tony Blair said "I am immensely
proud that it was under a Labour Government that India secured her
independence, and I am also proud that 60 years on, the relationship
between our two countries today is probably as strong as it has
been in all of those almost 60 years". He thanked the Indian
community for their invaluable contribution to the life, economy
and culture of Britain and went on to say "We, of course, have
huge historical and cultural ties. But I think the reason why our
relationship today is strong is because we're sharing a global vision
and democratic views."
 "The
close links on trade and investment are well known" he told
the gathering which included His Excellency Mr Kamalesh Sharma,
Indian High Commissioner, Mr Satyabrata Pal, Deputy High Commissioner,
industrialist Lord Swaraj Paul, businessman Sir Gulam Noon, Mr Sonjoy
Chatterjee Managing Director of Sponsors ICICI Bank (UK) Ltd, Mr
Onkar S Kanwar, President of Sponsors FICCI."The India-British
Partnership has seen bilateral trade and investment increase dramatically
since its creation 12 years ago", the Prime Minister added."We
are India's second largest trading partner and cumulatively the
number one investment in India, and I want to carry on building
on the strong foundation for your business and our business also".
 The
Prime Minister acknowledged, however, that "we need to do more,
frankly, to improve the involvement and representation of your community,
indeed all ethnic minority communities in politics and public life"in
the UK. He advised that the "key element in international relations
today is interdependence" and warned of "potential danger
and a threat to our security and stability is in those who want
to set apart races, faiths and cultures. Those who want to define
their identity according to difference rather than according to
what we have in common together, and who want rather than celebrating
our diversity, to make it a point of conflict".
Tony
Blair ended by defining one of the goals of Labour Friends in India
as one of helping to define and enrich the India-British relationship.
"The Indian community in this country make a huge contribution
recognised by all today. And I believe that in the work that we
do together, we are sending out not just something important on
a day to day basis, we are sending out a signal, a symbol if you
like, of a different and better world to come".
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LABOUR
FRIENDS OF INDIAN ANNUAL LUNCHEON 2005
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