Fulfil promises on reforms: UK to UPA

Britain wants the UPA government to complete its economic reforms programme, particularly in retail and pensions, but understands that democracies can be “messy,” British chancellor of the exchequer George Osborne said here on Thursday.

Britain wants the UPA government to complete its economic reforms programme, particularly in retail and pensions, but understands that democracies can be “messy,” British chancellor of the exchequer George Osborne said here on Thursday.

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He was addressing the media after a meeting with union finance minister Palaniappan Chidambaram, at the 6th India-UK Economic & Financial Dialogue. The Indian finance minister is here on the first leg of a three-nation tour, also covering France and Qatar, seeking greater foreign investments.

“The reforms Chidambaram has proposed — the retail reforms and the Pensions Bill that he’s taken to the Indian Parliament — are real signs of India’s commitment to trading with the world. I think he has single-handedly made a huge contribution,” Osborne told journalists at 11 Downing Street.

During the day, the two finance ministers also met small and medium British investors with investments in India.