Britain is a 'steadfast friend' of India: UK minister

The UK is a "steadfast friend" of India and the new British Prime Minister who takes over from Theresa May will ensure that strengthening the bilateral relationship is on the top of his agenda, secretary of state for work and pensions Amber Rudd said Monday.

The senior Conservative Party MP and minister in the UK Cabinet, who was the chief guest at the first-ever India Day at the Houses of Parliament complex in London, welcomed the event to launch UK-India Week 2019 as an important reminder of the need to be more ambitious with India-UK ties.

"I do hope that Jeremy Hunt will be our next Prime Minister and I know that he takes relations with India very seriously and it will certainly be top of his in-tray," said Rudd, in reference to the ongoing prime ministerial contest between UK foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt and former foreign secretary Boris Johnson.

"UK-India Week is a wonderful reminder of the ties the UK and India share. There is a need to be ambitious from the UK's side, but ...