A high-level delegation of Chief Executive Officers of leading business houses and Vice-Chancellors of leading UK universities and senior officials will accompany British Prime Minister David Cameron on an official visit here beginning February 18.

Briefing newspersons on the visit, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said that Cameron will hold delegation level talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here on February 19. During the visit Cameron will also travel to Mumbai.

Bilateral trade between India and the UK has been increasing steadily and merchandise trade stood at $16.15 billion in 2011-12 up from $12.56 billion in the previous year. Between April 2000 and October 2012, foreign direct investment from the UK was valued at $17.08 billion constituting nine per cent of the total FDI inflow into the country.

India is a major investor with over 700 Indian companies having operations in the UK.

Later, answering media queries, Indian High Commissioner J. Bhagwati said it was his understanding that there has been some discussion between Vodafone and the Ministry of Finance.

“My understanding is that it (the settlement on the dispute tax claim that Vodafone has to pay) is moving in a direction which is acceptable to both parties.”

> ashwini.phadnis@thehindu.co.in

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