New Delhi: British Prime Minister David Cameron will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Delhi on Tuesday. Cameron, who is on a three-day trip to India, was in Mumbai on Monday. Defence deals, education ties and further ways to counter-terrorism are high on the agenda for the meeting between the two prime ministers.
Cameron is likely to push for the sale of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets for the Indian Air Force, bilateral trade, education ties, energy and oil sales, counter terrorism and cyber security, and India's contribution to Afghanistan.
During his meeting with Manmohan Singh, Cameron may also raise the AgustaWestland deal and is likely to "make the case" for the helicopter manufacturing company. AgustaWestland employs nearly 5,000 people in the UK, and there are obvious concerns over chopper deal cancellation.
India has met and written to British officials on investigation while the UK has only provided India an interim reply. India wants a full reply on queries on AgustaWestland, which is a UK subsidiary of Finmeccanica.
Earlier, Cameron told the BBC, "The issue of bribe being paid is a matter between Italian and Indian authorities. AgustaWestland is an excellent company with highly skilled workers who make brilliant helicopters. Britain has some of the toughest anti-bribery laws in the world so people know if they do business with British companies, then they have those protections."
Cameron will be attending a lunch that will be jointly hosted by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry in India (ASSOCHAM), and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). He is then scheduled to meet President Pranab Mukherjee.
The British Premier is also expected to give press statements at Hyderabad House.
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