King Charles III of Britain has expressed his desire to visit India on a state visit, according to Lord Karan Bilimoria, an Indian-origin peer. Lord Bilimoria had an audience with the monarch prior to his coronation ceremony in London on May 7. During a pre-coronation reception at Westminster Hall, Lord Bilimoria requested that the King consider a visit to India, believing that it would have a significant impact on bilateral relations and also help to speed up the UK-India free trade agreement negotiations.
King Charles has previously spoken of his “great love for India” as the founder of the British Asian Trust. His last visit to India was in November 2019, when he was the Prince of Wales. Bilimoria, who recently led a trade delegation from the UK to India, is a strong advocate for closer India-UK ties and helped create the UK-India Industry Taskforce last year.
Bilimoria also believes that a visit to India by Britain’s first Indian-origin Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, would bring much-needed momentum to the relationship. The last prime ministerial delegation from the UK to India was in 2016.
Due to a reduced guest list for Westminster Abbey on May 7, many peers and members of Parliament had the opportunity to interact with King Charles and Queen Camilla at the pre-coronation reception. Lord Swraj Paul, founder of Caparo Group and a member of the Privy Council, said that the King was in good spirits and enjoyed his interactions with attendees.
A state visit to India by King Charles would serve as a symbol of the UK’s commitment to strengthening its relationship with India and would be an opportunity to explore areas of mutual interest and cooperation.
