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Blair may visit India later this year

Shyam Bhatia in London

In the broadest hint yet that discussions are underway for British Prime Minister Tony Blair to visit India later this year, High Commissioner in Britain Nareshwar Dayal said Indians were awaiting Blair's visit "sooner than later".

Dayal, who was speaking at a black-tie dinner to celebrate 50 years of the Indian Republic, prefaced his deliberate comments about a Blair visit by declaring that there had been a two-way exchange of high-level visits between New Delhi and London and both governments shared a common agenda on issues such as international terrorism, education, defence, science, technology and trade.

The issue of a Blair visit is particularly sensitive since the British prime minister is one of the few Western heads of government not to have visited New Delhi since his Labour Party first swept to power in 1997.

In New Delhi, priority is being given to a possible visit early next year by United States President George Bush, but officials have let it be known that they would willingly roll out the red carpet for Blair as well.

Relations between the two countries have improved dramatically since the disastrous state visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1997 and the nuclear tests of 1998.

On Wednesday night, Dayal also disclosed that India is among the 10 largest project investors in the United Kingdom with 115 Indian companies so far opening offices in the country. British companies were excited at the freeing of the economy in India, Dayal added.

The function at London's Grosvenor House Hotel was sponsored by London businessman Raj Loomba together with Virgin Airlines and Care International.

Guests, including Queen Elizabeth's cousin, the Duke of Kent, were invited to contribute to a Loomba family fund in aid of widows and orphans in India.

Among other luminaries present at the function were outgoing Conservative Party leader William Hague, Liberal Democratic Party president Lord Navnit Dholakia, former England cricket captain Ian Botham and film-maker Sir Richard Attenborough.

Sir Richard disclosed to rediff.com that he is working on two new films, one about American author Mark Twain, which will star Robin Williams, and a separate production about French intellectuals and writers Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir.

Asked what he thought about the impact of Hindi films on the UK market, Sir Richard said he was impressed but not surprised. "My home town is Leicester where 53 per cent of the population is of Indian origin," he said. "Of course they will want to watch Indian films."

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