ADC leads the way with floral welcome for PM Modi
As part of the preparations for the relaunch of Amaravati works, the area is being decked up with ornamental plants and lush landscaping to welcome dignitaries and citizens alike, presenting a vibrant display of greenery and floral elegance.
As per the direction of the ADC Chairperson and Managing Director, D Lakshmi Parthasarathy, the Horticulture Department is beautifying key locations, including roads, helipads, and approach roads to the venue. The N9 road entrance now showcases majestic date palms interspersed with yellow flowering plants, while the Vedika Point has been enhanced with bougainvillaea and plumeria. In Mandadam village, yellow-leaved dendrobium lines both sides of the main road, and the seed access road features lawns and vibrant pink Lagerstroemia. The Malkapuram garden helipads are adorned with bougainvillaea pots, and the Secretariat entrance flaunts Ficus Ponda, Malfizia Cones, Dracaena Mahatma, and date palms.
Adding to the festive atmosphere, leaders, farmers, DWCRA women, and government officials are actively inviting residents to join the grand celebration of Amaravati's revival.
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First Post
24 minutes ago
- First Post
FTA signing, talks on Khalistan and more... Why PM Modi's UK visit is important
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is off for his fourth trip to the United Kingdom. The visit, which begins today (July 23), is expected to witness the signing of a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Modi's discussions with British PM Keir Starmer will also touch upon a range of bilateral issues including security and technology read more PM Narendra Modi will hold talks with British PM Keir Starmer on a range of issues. File Photo/Reuters Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on an official visit to the United Kingdom on Wednesday (July 23). The trip is expected to witness the signing of a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the UK. The two sides had concluded negotiations for the trade agreement on May 6. During his trip, Modi will discuss various issues with British PM Keir Starmer concerning bilateral relations. From the UK, PM Modi will depart for Maldives for a state visit from July 25-26. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As the Indian leader begins his two-nation tour, here's what's on the agenda during the UK visit. Recent uptick in India-UK ties The relations between India and the UK have been on the rise in recent years. The Strategic Partnership between the two countries was elevated to Enhanced Partnership for the Future in 2010. The historical ties have got a boost since Brexit. In 2021, India and the UK upgraded their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They also adopted Roadmap 2030 to boost the relations in trade and investment, defence and security, and people-to-people contact and so on. In 2023, India and the UK established the 2+2 Foreign and Defence Dialogue. Last year, they launched the Technology Security Initiative. In May, New Delhi and London concluded talks to reach a bilateral Free Trade Agreement deal, discussions for which first began in January 2022. Business ties have also enhanced between India and the UK, with goods trade surpassing $23 billion in 2024-25, Indian Express reported, citing data by Indian government sources. PM Modi in the UK PM Narendra Modi, who is on his fourth visit to the UK, will hold discussions with his British counterpart Keir Starmer on a range of bilateral issues. 'They will also exchange views on issues of regional and global importance,' the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in the official announcement. The Indian leader is also slated to meet King Charles III. PM Narendra Modi interacts with Britain's Keir Starmer on the sidelines of the G20 summit at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in November 2024. File Photo/Reuters During the visit, PM Modi will review the state of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), 'with a specific focus on trade and economy, technology and innovation, defence and security, climate, health, education and people to people ties,' the MEA said. PM Modi is also likely to interact with business leaders in the UK. FTA, Khalistan & more A key part of PM Modi's UK visit is the finalisation of the trade agreement between the two countries. India and the UK are expected to sign the FTA on July 24. 'We are working on legal scrubbing and other last-minute work that needs to be done,' Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told a press conference on Tuesday, ahead of PM Modi's visit. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The India-UK FTA would eliminate duties on 99 per cent of Indian exports to Britain, including key sectors such as textiles, leather, gems and jewellery and auto parts and engines. In return, India will reduce or remove tariffs on 90 per cent of British products, including medical devices and alcoholic beverages. According to British estimates, the India-UK FTA will enhance bilateral trade by £25.5 billion annually by 2040. PM Modi had announced the trade deal with the UK on May 6, calling it 'ambitious and mutually beneficial'. The UK government has described the agreement as 'the biggest and most economically significant bilateral trade deal'. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will accompany PM Modi to London for the signing of the India-UK FTA. The talks will reportedly feature matters related to security and technology. India is likely to raise the issue of a surge in Khalistani threat in the UK. 'The presence of Khalistani extremists…we have brought to the attention of our partners in the UK. This should be a matter of concern for our partners as well,' Misri told the media. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Modi had flagged the issue to Starmer on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada in June. The two leaders had also interacted during the G20 Summit in Brazil last year. The extradition of fugitives could also be among the top agendas during PM Modi's UK visit. India is seeking the extradition of Lalit Modi, Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya, who are wanted for financial fraud, from the UK. 'There are a few questions related to fugitives from Indian law and justice in the UK. These have been a matter of discussion between both sides, and we continue to make the case for these fugitives to be rendered to India. Obviously, there is a legal process that such requests and such issues go through in the other country, and we continue to follow up very closely with our partners in the UK on these matters,' the Indian foreign secretary said. With inputs from agencies STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Key facts about India-UK free trade deal as PM Modi, Starmer set to sign FTA soon
Britain and India are set to formally sign a free trade agreement on Thursday during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's UK visit, following three years of negotiations. The deal then needs approvals from the British parliament and India's federal cabinet, likely within a year. Here are the key points of the agreement: Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Cybersecurity Finance Management Product Management healthcare MBA Degree Operations Management others MCA PGDM Leadership Project Management Data Analytics Healthcare Public Policy Others Digital Marketing Artificial Intelligence Design Thinking Data Science Data Science CXO Technology Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months MIT xPRO CERT-MIT xPRO PGC in Cybersecurity Starts on undefined Get Details TARIFF CUTS India to reduce tariffs on nearly 90% of UK goods Whisky and gin levy to fall from 150% to 75%, then to 40% in a decade Live Events Automobile tariff to fall from 100%-plus to 10% under quota Tariffs to be cut on other goods including cosmetics, medical devices, salmon, chocolates, biscuits UK to offer duty-free access to 99% of Indian items, according to Indian commerce ministry, covering nearly 100% of trade value BENEFITS FOR INDIAN SECTORS Indian exports such as textiles, footwear, gems & jewellery, furniture, auto components, chemicals, machinery, sports goods and other items likely to have zero duties, down from current levels of 4%-16% in the UK. SERVICES According to Indian commerce ministry, the UK will provide assured access for temporary stay to business visitors and contractual service providers as well as to yoga instructors, chefs and musicians. Indian workers working temporarily in the UK and their employers will be exempted from paying social security contributions in the UK for three years, with savings estimated at about 40 billion rupees ($463 million) annually. UK FIRMS TO GET ACCESS TO INDIAN GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT India will provide access to British suppliers for non-sensitive government procurement tenders in the federal government, with a threshold of 2 billion rupees. The deal will give UK businesses access to India's public procurement market, comprising about 40,000 tenders with a value of about 38 billion pounds a year, according to UK government estimates. BOOST TO UK ECONOMY The trade pact is expected to increase UK GDP by 4.8 billion pounds ($6.5 billion) annually in the long term, according to British government estimates, with consumers getting access to cheaper garments, footwear and food items from India. INDIAN FIRMS TO BENEFIT Indian textile and apparel manufacturers such as Welspun India , Arvind Ltd , Raymond , Vardhman likely to benefit from duty-free access for exports to the UK. Footwear manufacturers such as Bata India , Relaxo , auto manufacturers like Tata Motors , Mahindra Electric and also Bharat Forge could benefit, according to industry analysts. UK COMPANIES UK firms including whisky distiller Diageo, auto manufacturer Aston Martin and Tata-owned Jaguar Land Rover could benefit from access to fast-growing Indian market.
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
C Raja Mohan writes: PM Modi in the UK: Let go of the bilateral baggage
The formal signing of the India-UK Free Trade Agreement during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to London this week marks a long-awaited turning point in bilateral relations. The early 1990s opened a new opportunity for Delhi and London to move beyond the bitter legacies of Partition and the Cold War and build on the fresh possibilities offered by India's economic liberalisation. Only after multiple twists and turns has the wide gap between promise and performance in the relationship begun to close. If Queen Elizabeth II's 1997 visit to India — meant to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Independence — turned into a political fiasco, Modi's meeting this week with King Charles III could mark the beginning of a new and more productive phase. And it comes at a particularly opportune moment. The trade pact, along with expanding cooperation in technology, defence, and education, will help both countries navigate the turbulent effects of US President Donald Trump's political upheaval — whether one sees it as a revolution or a counterrevolution — on American global engagement and the international order. London, the US's closest and most enduring ally, and Delhi, which has built a new foundation for strategic cooperation with Washington, have both been significantly impacted by Trump's policies. Efforts to reboot India-UK ties began promisingly in the 1990s, when Conservative Prime Minister John Major strongly supported India's economic reforms. But the momentum faltered in the early years of the Labour governments (1997-2010), which continued to view India through an outdated colonial lens. What should have been a celebratory and reflective moment during the Queen's 1997 visit was marred by then Foreign Secretary Robin Cook's gratuitous meddling in the Kashmir issue and Indo-Pakistani relations. The resulting outrage was memorably captured by Indian Prime Minister I K Gujral, who called Britain a 'third-rate power'. Gujral was right to object to British overreach, but his characterisation of Britain was far off the mark. In the mid-1990s, the UK ranked among the world's top five economies, with a GDP exceeding the combined economic output of China, India, and Russia at the time. Britain had lost its empire but has remained a power of considerable global influence. Three decades later, it is still the world's sixth-largest economy. Its per capita income — around $55,000—compares starkly with India's $3,000, China's $14,000, and Russia's $15,000. The perception in Delhi of Britain as a 'diminished power' stands in sharp contrast to India's enduring view of Russia as a 'superpower'. This disconnect reflects a lingering anti-colonial mindset and a romanticised view of Russia in Delhi but has little grounding in present-day realities. It ignores the large interface between Indian and British societies that stands in contrast to a narrow government-to-government relationship with Moscow. One of the key drivers of the evolving India-UK relationship has been the effort to shed the lingering colonial condescension in London and entrenched anti-imperial resentment in Delhi. The focus has now shifted to building a pragmatic, forward-looking partnership based on shared interests. It has also meant confronting Delhi's own double standards. While the Indian elite never misses an opportunity to denounce British colonialism, it continues to seek validation from Britain and its institutions. Across the political spectrum, leaders denounce the English language but educate their children in English-medium schools, aspire for admissions to Oxbridge and the Ivy League, and dream of emigration to the Anglosphere. This is not even to mention the popular fascination with Britain in states like Bengal, Gujarat, and Punjab. Overcoming this love-hate relationship was not easy. But the return of the Conservatives to power in 2010 saw an effort to transcend the old entanglements of Kashmir and Pakistan. Prime Minister David Cameron's 2010 visit aimed to reboot bilateral ties. However, the British establishment was not fully prepared for a shift, and the UPA government in Delhi failed to seize the moment. The arrival of the Modi government in 2014 brought a new readiness to reassess Britain. Successive Conservative Prime Ministers — especially Boris Johnson — actively worked with India to imagine a shared future, outlined in the '2030 Roadmap for India-UK Relations'. The free trade agreement being signed this week, the 2024 technology security initiative, and the joint defence industrial roadmap announced this year are all fruits of that vision. Implementing the 2030 roadmap would not have been possible without greater responsiveness from the British establishment. Particularly significant in addressing Delhi's concerns about anti-India extremism is Prime Minister Keir Starmer's reining in the extremist factions within the Labour Party that had taken a hostile stance on India carrying forward the 2030 Roadmap initiated by the Tories. Modi's visit is also an opportunity to reflect on the deep economic and political turbulence within Britain. The Starmer government is struggling to revive a stagnating economy. It has abandoned the strategy of total reliance on services and launched an industrial policy aimed at innovation-led growth in eight key sectors, including advanced manufacturing, defence, clean energy, life sciences, and creative industries. This opens new possibilities for India-UK collaboration. Britain remains a global leader in higher education, scientific research, and technology — and Modi's visit could help identify fresh avenues for partnership in these domains. It is also set to play a critical role in European security amid American retrenchment under Trump. India should recognise the internal political fragmentation in Britain amid mounting pressures on the two-party system. Delhi should also be aware of the rising anti-immigration sentiment in a rapidly changing Britain. It should focus less on sending more students and workers to Britain. Instead, Delhi should be drawing British universities into India and building collaboration with British capital to expand opportunities at home. For too long, Delhi and London have underestimated what they could do for each other. Briefly before Independence, some in both capitals imagined that a partnership between a free India and a post-imperial Britain could preserve London's global stature, amid the rise of America and Soviet Russia, and facilitate India's emergence as a dominant power in the Indian Ocean and beyond. That bold vision was derailed by the trauma of Partition, the chaos of decolonisation, and the polarising currents of the Cold War. But eight decades later, India and Britain stand once again at an inflexion point. As middle powers, they are now better positioned to pursue a more modest, pragmatic goal: To act as force multipliers for each other in a world increasingly shaped by an assertive China and an unpredictable America. The writer is contributing editor on international affairs for The Indian Express and distinguished fellow at the Council on Strategic and Defence Research
