UK's Finance Minister George Osborne in conversation with NDTV's anchor Shweta Rajpal Kohli
With a mission to strengthen the 'bilateral trade' ties with India, Finance Minister George Osborne accompanied by Foreign Secretary William Hague is in New Delhi to meet with the Narendra Modi government.
"India is embarking on an exciting journey of reform under your new government," Osborne told business leaders in India's financial hub, assuring them there was "no more reliable partner" on that journey than Britain.
The British pair is expected to hold talks with Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and Finance and Defence Minister Arun Jaitley among others today before meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Highlights of his conversation with NDTV:On retrospective tax changes and the Vodafone case
- Retrospective tax changes sent a very bad signal to investors all over the world
- Previous government saw how retrospective changes impacted sentiment
- Investors felt India's investment climate was unfavourable
- Retrospective tax changes led to feeling that India not firing on all cylinders
- In last 7 weeks, real sense that India is firing on all cylinders
- Don't want to tell any country how to manage their tax affairs
- Hope exciting future PM Modi has mapped out is followed through in the Budget
- Minister Jaitley has his PM standing beside him, want Britain also to stand with India
On Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's image and its economy
- Real excitement and buzz around PM Modi
- To borrow one of PM Modi's phrases 'achhe din here' for Britain-India relations
- Seeing excitement around Indian economy, took the decision to get on the plane to meet Mr Modi
- Britain to launch billion pound export finance line of credit for British firms to do business in India
On Rafale vs Eurofighter
- Previous govt chose France as preferred partner
- If current govt wants to change, we will talk to them
- Hoping to strike defence deals in the future
On Tesco's plans and Multi-brand retail
- Don't want to second guess that the govt will reverse policy
- Don't want to pick on specific issues, general atmosphere is positive
On Mahatama Gandhi's statue in front of the British Parliament
- Mahatma Gandhi is an inspiration for the whole world
- Father of world's largest democracy should find his place before Mother of Parliament
- Memorial for Britain-India relationship