Britain looking to double bilateral trade with India by 2015

UK's High Commissioner James Bevan told reporters here that Britain would also cooperate in a host of other areas including research and innovation.

He said MNC giants Vodafone and BP remain big investors in India and that about two-thirds of the total Indian investments in the European Union goes to UK.

Bevan said Britain was hopeful of bilateral trade between the two countries getting doubled from the level of 10 billion pounds in 2010 by 2015.

He said both sides were also keen to give further fillip to the investments.

The High Commissioner said UK recently announced opening of two more missions in India, making it one of the largest diplomatic network in any country.

"We will be opening two new Deputy High Commissions in Chandigarh and Hyderabad," he said.

"We will open the one in Chandigarh sooner rather than later. Hopefully, we will cut the red ribbon (inaugurate it) by the end of this year. A British diplomat will head this mission..

"Regarding the one in Hyderabad, we already have a building there. Next week, I will be travelling there and do the unofficial opening while we will try to have a VIP come down later (to do the formal opening)," he said.

Besides the British high commission in New Delhi, there are UK missions in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore. It also has two trade offices in Pune and Ahmedabad.