Modi UK visit: Indian prime minister to have lunch with Queen and address UK Parliament

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to have lunch with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace during his visit to the UK in November. Modi will also be addressing the British Parliament and holding talks with David Cameron during the three-day visit.

The Indian prime minister is due to arrive in the UK on 12 November and is believed to be meeting David Cameron on the same day at 10 Downing Street, Indian media reported on Thursday (29 October). Reports also indicated that Cameron will be at Modi's side through much of the visit, with the two rumoured to address a joint session at Parliament soon after Modi lands.

"[Cameron] has a very warm relationship with the Indian prime minister," said Priti Patel, Cameron's Indian Diaspora Champion and employment minister. "This visit will demonstrate the strength of that unbeatable combination of our two leaders."

Modi and Cameron are expected to walk up a few steps to the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Parliament Square on the day that the Indian prime minister lands in the UK. Modi will then address the British Parliament alongside his counterpart at a reception hosted by the Parliament Speaker. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, is also expected to host the special visitor at a banquet to be held at the Guildhall on the night he arrives. Modi could also pay a visit to the Jaguar Land Rover factory, owned by Indian Tata Motors, if he is able to find the time in his crammed schedule.

On 13 November Modi is expected to have lunch with the Queen at Buckingham Palace, before attending an Olympic-style welcome reception at Wembley Stadium. He is expected to address UK's Indian diaspora at the event, with organisers having registered more than 60,000 applications for the reception.

On 14 November, his final day in the UK, Modi will be unveiling a statue of the 12<sup>th century philosopher Basaveshwara, as well as inaugurating the Ambedkar House museum in north London. The building was formerly home to Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, one of the founding fathers of modern India and a strong critic of the country's Hindu caste system. The property was bought by the Maharashtra government in September with the aim of converting it into a museum devoted to the late Indian lawyer and social activist.

"I will formally inaugurate the house where Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar lived, which recently became the Indian government's property and a place for inspiration for 125 crore [125 million] Indians," Modi said earlier this week. "When Ambedkar's name is associated, you can imagine how much happiness people like me have. This is the place where Ambedkar did his devotion."

Despite the eagerly anticipated visit, not everyone is expected to welcome him with open arms. A large proportion of the Indian diaspora in the country have planned protests against Modi during his visit, with many urging David Cameron and other leaders not to let Modi into the UK. Jeremy Corbyn and Alex Salmond have also raised concerns over human rights violations under the Modi government.

Modi will be the first Indian prime minister to visit the UK in nearly a decade, with the last official visit dating back to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit in 2006. Modi will leave London on 14 November to fly to Turkey for the G-20 Summit.