LONDON — By any measure, British Prime Minister David Cameron's recent visit to India has turned out to be a transformative one. In one stroke, he has redefined the parameters of the Indo-British partnership for the 21st century.
The Conservative Party has been clear about India being a priority for Britain since Cameron visited India in 2006. Cameron had written fondly of India before his visit: "India is the world's largest democracy, a rapidly growing economy, a huge potential trading partner, a diverse society with a strong culture of pluralism and a key regional player — a force for stability in a troubled part of the world."
He had suggested that though Britain's relationship with India "goes deep," it "should go deeper." India and Britain forged a "strategic partnership" during former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's visit to India in 2005, but Cameron's visit has imparted a new dynamism to the relationship.