Equal partners
- 20 Jan 08, 12:56 PM
DELHI: The Brown tour has touched down in India after a two day sprint round China which left even Kelly Holmes - accompanying the PM to promote sporting links - exhausted. The message here is that the partnership between Britain - the world's oldest democracy - and India - the world's largest democracy - is one between equals. He will call for greater co-operation between the two countries to combat terrorism and offer more aid to assist India's development.
The Prime Minister will repeat Britain's call for India to be given a seat on the UN Security Council in a speech tomorrow which will echo his call at the Lord Mayor's Banquet for the reform of the post war international institutions - not just the UN but the IMF and World Bank as well - so they can focus on the 21st century problems of failing states, financial instability and climate change.
Unless Shilpa Shetty turns up to greet him this part of the trip feels decidedly low key which may suit Mr Brown on the eve of a tricky week in the Commons with a statement on Northern Rock, the publication of the Counter Terrorism Bill, the start of the debate on the European Treaty and the vote on MPs pay.
