By Devirupa Mitra, IANS
New Delhi : British Prime Minister Gordon Brown Monday ended a two-day visit to India backing New Delhi’s bid for a permanent seat in an expanded UN Security Council even as the two countries identified four key areas to boost their ties.
Advocating “India’s rightful place” in a new world order, Brown also called for a sweeping revamp of international lending agencies so as to reflect the country’s new found economic power.
“And let me say at the outset that we can and must do more to make our global institutions more representative – and I support India’s bid for a permanent place – with others in an expanded UN Security Council.
“And I support changes to the IMF, World Bank and the G8 that reflect the rise of India and Asia,” Brown told a breakfast meeting organised by the two leading business chambers of India.
Brown also proposed a “global climate change fund”, to be built on Britain’s international environmental transformation fund of $1.6 billion.
The initiative, which will operate within the World Bank Clean Energy Investment Framework, will finance carbon investment, sustainable forestry programmes, adaptation and climate-resilient development in the poorest countries, he added.
Brown, who arrived here Sunday from China, spent a hectic day Monday meeting Indian political and business leaders, launching the UK Sports Initiative, attending the ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, visiting the Raj Ghat and attending a state banquet before leaving for home.
Brown and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh held one-to-one talks Monday evening – followed by delegation-level meetings — after which the two leaders issued a joint statement committing themselves “to strengthening and deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries”.
This partnership, they said, “is underpinned by growing economic ties and the presence of a large Indian diaspora in the UK”.
Officials said that Brown and Manmohan Singh called for free and fair elections in Pakistan and urged Myanmar’s military junta to embrace democracy.
The two leaders also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on higher education leadership development programme.
Addressing a joint press conference, Brown and Manmohan Singh said they had identified four priority areas to ramp up their ties and also called for greater cooperation in the war against terror.
The four areas are education, science and technology, trade and investment.
Manmohan Singh called for more people to people contacts, even as he thanked Britain for its support to India’s long-standing bid for a permanent UN Security Council seat and to the India-US civilian nuclear deal.
“There is a strong broad agreement that international institutions need to be reformed … they cannot ignore India and China,” Manmohan Singh said. He said the two countries were providing strong stimulus to international economy.
He added that India and Britain had “taken concrete measures” in the war against terror and said there would be greater cooperation to stop the movement of explosives through ports and airports.
Brown also visited Delhi University, where Vice Chancellor Deepak Pental conferred him an honorary degree. Brown then announced the launch of a UK Sports Initiative at the university sports ground.
The post-lunch session witnessed talks with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and opposition leader L.K. Advani.
Earlier, from the breakfast meeting, Brown headed to the presidential palace where Manmohan Singh ceremonially received him at the forecourt of the imposing British-built Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Brown then went to Raj Ghat to lay a wreath at the memorial for Mahatma Gandhi, who led the movement that led to the collapse of the British Empire.
A separate itinerary was drawn up for Brown’s wife Sarah, who visited a maternal health centre before joining her husband when he called on President Pratibha Patil, India’s first woman head of state.
Brown rounded off the day by attending a state banquet, following which he flew back to London.