David Cameron to 'cement' Indian trade links

David Cameron is hoping to "cement" trade links between Britain and India, as the Prime Minister embarked on his third visit to the country.

He said the UK was starting to "reap the benefits" of his push to secure trade deals with one of the world's fastest-growing economies.

But he will also seek to reassure Indians that his push to slash immigration to the UK is not a bar to its students and business leaders coming to the country.

Accepting there was a "challenge" to persuade them the UK remained "open for business", he said he wanted to counter the "myth" that the immigration crackdown was "freezing out" new arrivals from the sub-continent.

There was "no limit" to the number of students allowed in, he said, but it was right to stop them staying to do jobs that could be filled by non-graduate UK workers.

Mr Cameron is spending the day in Delhi and Kolkata en route to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) in neighbouring Sri Lanka.

He will first hold talks in New Delhi with Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh - who has joined the Canadian and Mauritian premiers in boycotting the summit in protest at the hosts' human rights record.

Mr Cameron, who has resisted calls to join the protest, said you do not "get anywhere" by staying away rather than being able to put "frank and direct" questions to the regime and shine a global spotlight on the issues.

The Prime Minister is being accompanied by a small business delegation - including representatives of two firms hopeful of securing deals with the potential to create 1,250 jobs in the UK.

The party also includes Tory MP Priti Patel, whom the PM has appointed "Indian Diaspora Champion" with a remit to improve the Government's links with British Indians.