Modi announces London-Ahmedabad direct flight

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced a direct flight between London and Ahmedabad from December this year.

"From December 15, there will be direct flights between London and Ahmedabad," Modi said in his much-awaited address to 60,000 wildly cheering British Indians at the iconic Wembley Stadium here.

Spokesperson in the external affairs minstry Vikas Swarup tweeted: "PM @narendramodi announces Air India flight between London and Ahmedabad."

The prime minister also said that the process of applying and getting the overseas citizen of India (OCI) status would be simplified.

Earlier, British Prime Cameron and his wife Samantha, dressed in a sari, welcomed Modi as he arrived at Wembley Stadium.

After Modi met with organisers of the much-hyped event, the two leaders interacted with a group of schoolchildren of Indian origin who had performed in the cultural extravaganza that preceded Modi's speech.

Britain is home to a 1.5 million-strong Indian diaspora.

--Indo-Asian News service

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