'Election Of 1st Hindu UK PM A Historic Moment': British Envoy To India Hails Rishi Sunak

Rishi Sunak on Tuesday took charge as Britain's first Indian-origin Prime Minister after meeting King Charles III.

Britain's former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Conservative MP, Rishi Sunak (Source: File photo/AFP)

New Delhi: The British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis on Tuesday said the election of the first Hindu PM of Britain is a “historic moment”, as reported by news agency ANI. “PM Rishi Sunak made it clear that the economy is going to be a top priority when he stood on the steps of Downing Street a short while ago…India is a big investor in the UK, the UK is a big investor in India. We want to double trade by 2030,” he said.

Rishi Sunak on Tuesday took charge as Britain's first Indian-origin Prime Minister after meeting King Charles III. Sunak, the youngest Prime Minister of the UK in over two centuries, took the charge a day after he was elected the new leader of the Conservative Party in a historic leadership run.

"It's a big day for UK. We've a new PM. He's young. His grandparents came from India, and his parents were from East Africa. He's a Hindu. It's a sign of a different UK compared to the country in which I grew up," said Alex.

"The election of the first Hindu PM of Britain is a historic moment," said Alex in Hindi. 

#WATCH | "The election of the first Hindu PM of Britain is a historic moment," says Alex Ellis, British High Commissioner to India, in Hindi.

Conservative Party Leader #RishiSunak took charge as the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom today. pic.twitter.com/NepldiWipb

— ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2022

"A Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is an excellent way of doing that. It's a long way to get to FTA, we've walked through the foothills, gone up the valley, got to base camp&now we need to do this short & sharp ascent. I think both countries are determined to reach the summit," said Alex.

The 42-year-old arrived at Buckingham Palace for his meeting with the King after outgoing PM Liz Truss chaired her final Cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street. She then tendered her resignation to the 73-year-old monarch. 

"So, it is quite a different country & it's a big day to mark that. UK-India relations have been deepening & growing very fast since we left the EU. We'll see what happens while we expect this govt to pursue the same course," Alex added.

Sunak, who describes himself as a “proud Hindu”, is the UK's first Prime Minister of South Asian heritage. His victory on Diwali has resonated among the Indian diaspora groups across the UK, who have hailed it as a “historic moment” in British social history.

Sunak became the British PM after Liz Truss resigned from the post within 45 days of taking charge following economic turmoil and the resignation of two key ministers. Truss became the shortest-serving Prime Minister in British history — less than 50 days.