One of Britain’s senior Foreign Office ministers has used Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s words to make his case against the UK leaving the European Union in the June 23 referendum, saying Brexit would not be a boost for India-UK ties.
Hugo Swire, minister of state for the Commonwealth, was making a speech at Chatham House in london yesterday when he made a reference to views coming out of India that should sway voters against Brexit.
“Prime Minister Modi during his visit to the UK last November said ‘As far as India is concerned, if there is an entry point for us to the European Union that is the UK’,” Swire said quoting Modi.
“And the head of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry agreed, adding that ‘we firmly believe that leaving the EU would create considerable uncertainty for Indian businesses engaged with the UK and would possibly have an adverse impact on investment and movement of professionals to the UK’,” he said. Swire, who is in charge of India as part of his wider Commonwealth portfolio, also reiterated his stand that he does not see Brexit having a boost on India-UK ties.