20 Feb 2013

End to red tape urged by Cameron in India

6:06 am on 20 February 2013

British Prime Minister David Cameron has urged the Indian government to cut red tape in a bid to encourage more trade and investment between the two countries.

During a three-day visit with a British trade delegation, Mr Cameron said India "can be a difficult country to do business in" but he wanted to see UK firms playing a bigger role in a "more open, more flexible" Indian economy.

The BBC's reports the prime minister also outlined a same-day visa scheme to make the process easier for India's business community.

Mr Cameron also sounded a cautionary note over corruption in India.

"I don't come here to preach to anybody, but clearly every country has to be on their guard against bribery and corruption as the Indians themselves know," he said.

On Monday, Mr Cameron visited a memorial to the 16 Indian police officers killed during the terror attacks in Mumbai in 2008.

The prime minister laid a wreath in respect and listened as an honour guard played the Last Post.