India PM Narendra Modi To Give Wembley Stadium Speech To 60,000 During UK Visit

India PM Narendra Modi To Give Wembley Stadium Speech To 60,000 During UK Visit
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Tens of thousands of Narendra Modifans will pack Wembley Stadium as he continues the first UK visit by an Indian prime minister for a decade.

The huge rally will come after Mr Modi has lunch with the Queen at Buckingham Palace and further meetings with business leaders as part of a trade drive.

Deals worth £9 billion were unveiled on Thursday following talks at Downing Street with David Cameron, who hosted his counterpart for the night at official country residence Chequers.

Number 10 said 1,900 jobs had been created or safeguarded.

The Prime Minister said he was seeking a "modern, dynamic partnership" with the fast-growing economic power, free of the shackles of the colonial past.

More than £1 billion worth of bonds are to be issued by the City - to fund projects such as the expansion of India's rail network.

Chancellor George Osborne said increasing London's competitiveness as the home of new financial markets would have "direct and lasting benefits for jobs and growth at home".

Mr Modi's appearances are likely to attract more of the kinds of noisy protest seen outside Downing Street on Thursday - partly over allegations of reduction in civil liberties since he came to power.

Amnesty urged the PM to intervene over a "fevered crackdown on critics under way in India".

Mr Cameron played down criticism of Mr Modi's record as chief minister of Gujarat - including over 2002 riots where more than a thousand Muslims were said to have died - pointing out that he had an "enormous mandate" from the Indian people.

Mr Modi insisted India was naturally against "anything that is having to do with intolerance".

In the first speech by a serving Indian PM to Parliament, Mr Modi said the two countries should "seize our opportunities, remove obstacles to co-operation, instil full confidence in our relations and remain sensitive to each others' interests" to create one of the "leading global partnerships".

Up to 60,000 are expected to attend the Wembley extravaganza, which will include performances from Indian and British stars and a fireworks display organisers claim is the UK's biggest - as well as a speech by Mr Modi.