Impressed by India's rise, want to be its partner: Cameron

Mumbai, Feb 18 (IANS) Stating that Britain is looking to be "India's partner of choice", British Prime Minister David Cameron Monday said he is impressed to see India's rise.

"India's rise is going to be one of the great phenomena of this century and it is incredibly impressive to see - the vibrancy of your democracy, the great strength of the diversity of your country and the enormous power of your economy, that is going to be one of the top three economies by 2030," he said while addressing officials and executives of Hindustan Unilever here.

"Britain wants to be your partner of choice. We've only just started on the sort of partnership that we could build," he said adding: "As far as I'm concerned, the sky is the limit."

With an agenda to forge greater trade ties with India, Cameron landed in Mumbai here Monday morning leading a 100-member business delegation.

Starting his three-day visit from India's commercial capital, he said: "UK can forge one of the great partnerships of the 21st century with India."

Cameron said that it is fantastic to be back in Mumbai. "I am very proud of the fact that I have been the prime minister for two and a half years and this is my second visit to India, because I want Britain and India to have a very special relationship," he said.

Stating that he has brought to India the biggest delegation out of Britain, Cameron said Britain wants to tie up with India in many different ways.

"We want to tie up with India in so many different ways - with your culture, your companies, your business and of course with your people," he said.

Cameron also said that both India and Britain has been facing the problem of terrorism alike and said that both countries should come together to fight the menace.

"We both face this extraordinary and difficult challenge of fighting terrorists and terrorism in our midst and I want us to meet that challenge together," he said.

Cameron will leave for New Delhi Monday evening where is he scheduled to meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pranab Mukherjee.