Modi visits JLR factory in UK

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) plant in Solihul, during his three-day visit to the UK. Modi was given a production plant tour of the new model Jaguar XE sports saloon. The Jaguar XE is India bound in the coming year and will compete with the likes of the BMW 3-series and the Mercedes-Benz C-class. Jaguar Land Rover which was previously owned by Ford Motor Company, was purchased by India’s Tata Motors in year 2008. At the JLR facility, Modi said at the tour "focus on technology, quality and innovation is impressive".

Speaking at the event, foreign secretary S. Jaishankar said the JLR plant was the flagship Indian investment in Britain. "It is the largest investment by an Indian company in the UK. In my understanding, it is the largest private sector manufacturing employer in the UK," he said. JLR now annually produces around 425,000 vehicles, which are sold across the world.

India is now the fastest growing large economy in the world and David Cameron, would like the UK to get a piece of the action. International trade is at the core of these big foreign visits. Meanwhile Modi wants to promote his signature policy and encourage British firms to "Make in India". The main agenda of this visit is about how the two nations can strengthen their "partnership". Modi's visit to Britain has seen the unveiling of £9 billion of commercial deals between India and the UK.

He also had lunch with the Queen at Buckingham Palace. The Indian Prime Minister was greeted by a 60,000-strong crowd in Wembley stadium which will help brighten his image in India after his humiliating defeat in the state election in Bihar.