Family Gears Up To Welcome Rishi Sunak In Delhi

LONDON, (IANS) – Ahead of Rishi Sunak‘s first official trip to India as Britain’s Prime Minister during the G20 summit this week, his relatives are planning a banquet in New Delhi to welcome him to his ancestral land.

Sunak’s maternal uncle, Gautam Dev Sood, said all relatives have been asked to gather in New Delhi to mark the arrival of the Prime Minister, who is likely to be accompanied by his wife Akshata Murthy on the three-day trip.

The menu will feature a mixture of North and South Indian cuisines, with “flower bouquets and beverages for the dinner as well”, Sood told The Telegraph, adding that it is a “great honor for us that he is visiting his ancestral land”.

“We can’t divulge exact details, but a plan is in place to welcome the Prime Minister. We are gearing up for a night of non-stop dancing, mostly to the lively beats of the traditional Punjabi music, although I imagine we might also groove to a few English tunes along the way,” said Subhash Berry, Sunak’s paternal uncle.

However, Sunak is unlikely to attend the event, penciled for September 7 or 8 nights, because of an intense schedule of meetings with world leaders between September 8 and 10, the newspaper reported.

The British Indian leader has described India as an “indispensable partner” of the UK across all spheres of bilateral cooperation, which he is keen to bolster further.

On September 12, he ruled out a ‘quick fix’ trade deal with India, which is held up by disagreements over New Delhi’s demands for greater migration rights for Indian people.

Multiple sources close to the negotiations told the Guardian that Sunak rejected the idea of an “early harvest” deal, which could have lowered tariffs on goods such as whiskey but would not have dealt with trickier subjects such as professional services.

The decision has scuppered any chance of an agreement being struck this week. Many now believe a deal is impossible before both countries hold elections in 2024, although some in government still believe it could be reached later this year.