Modi gets invite to visit UK

India groups of the United Kingdom's two main political parties-the Conservative Party and the Labour Party -- have invited Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to visit the country.

The Labour Friends of India chairman, Barry Gardiner, sent a letter to Modi last week, inviting him to the House of Commons to speak on 'The Future of Modern India.'

"The invitation is a culmination of several years of engagement between senior representatives of the Labour Party and Narendra Modi," Gardiner was quoted by media, as saying.

"I am sure people in the UK and indeed the international community would be very interested to meet and hear what Narendra Modi has to say first hand. He is a politician who cannot be ignored. I believe it's in Britain's best interests that we engage with him as both the Chief Minister of Gujarat and also potential Prime Minister," he added.

"I, like many colleagues within the Labour Party, look forward to welcoming Chief Minister Modi to the UK. I last had the pleasure of meeting him in Gujarat in 2009. His return visit to the UK is long overdue," said Stephen Pound, former chair of Labour Friends of India.

In a rare show of political unity, the Conservative Friends of India issued their own invite for Modi on August 9.

"It would be a great privilege for us to host an event for you. I very much hope that you will take us up on this invitation when opportunity allows," wrote Sailesh Vara, the Tory MP for North West Cambridgeshire.