Will strive to strengthen ties with UK, EU both: India

Tashkent, June 24: As Britain voted to leave the European Union in a landmark referendum, India on Friday said it values its ties with both the UK and EU and will strive hard to strengthen these relationships in the years ahead.

"We have seen the results of the British referendum on EU membership reflecting the choice made by the British people on the issue. We value our multifaceted relationships with both the UK and the EU and will strive to further strengthen these ties in the years ahead," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.

Swarup made the remarks here as he is part of the delegation accompanying Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

The UK voted to leave the European Union after 43 years in a historic referendum. Leave won by 52 per cent to 48 per cent votes. UKIP leader Nigel Farage hailed it as the UK's "independence day" but the Remain camp called it a "catastrophe".

The vote -- which saw an extremely high turnout of around 72 per cent -- reverses the public verdict back in 1975, when the UK voted to remain a member of then European Economic Community, which later became the EU.

PTI