Britain held talks Monday with Indian regional leader Narendra Modi, ending a 10-year boycott over deadly religious riots in Gujarat state that left more than 2,000 dead, including three Britons. Modi, a Hindu nationalist who is tipped as a possible future prime minister, came to power in Gujarat shortly before the 2002 riots and is accused of doing little or nothing to prevent India's worst religious violence since independence.
After the riots, Britain stopped dealing directly with Modi but the government this month changed its policy and announced that its ambassador to India, James Bevan, would travel to Gujarat. "This is about engagement, it is not about endorsement," Bevan told reporters after the meeting. "If you want to engage effectively with an Indian state... you need to engage with the chief minister."
Bevan said Britain was keen to improve its overall relations with India and he also noted that several public figures had recently been found guilty over the riots. Modi's office said the discussions included opportunities for British companies in Gujarat, one of India's flagship states for attracting foreign direct investment.