By IANS
London : British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is to visit India in January, diplomatic sources said.
Brown told a large gathering of Asians at the House of Commons Wednesday that he was keen to enter into agreements for development projects in India during an upcoming visit to India, but did not give the dates.
He will however have the occasion to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in advance of his visit — at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kampala, Uganda Nov 23-25 — where he said he looked forward to “resuming my friendship with Mr Singh”.
Speaking at a Diwali function organised by British members of parliament and the Hindu Forum UK, Brown said Britain’s relations with India are stronger than ever before, and that he hoped to build upon them by entering into education and health projects, so that “every child will have the opportunity for education”.
Also on his agenda during his India visit was the eradication of diseases such as tuberculosis, polio and malaria by harnessing “scientific knowledge for all the people”.
“When I visit India, we will join together in these projects,” said Brown.
Brown is a strong supporter of India’s bid for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council and reiterated his position Tuesday in his maiden foreign policy speech as prime minister.