London: Trade between India and Britain is expected to cross 10 billion pounds by the end of this year, Lord Karan Bilimoria, Co-chairman of the India-UK Business Council, said today. "There has been a step-up in the India-UK trade which is expected to cross 10 billion pounds this year," Lord Bilimoria said. Even 10 billion pounds is scratching the surface, he noted.

He said more and more Indian companies were now looking global and keen to invest in the UK. Noting that interest in India is enormous, Lord Bilimoria said a large trade delegation will participate in the UK-India trade conference in Mumbai this month. Next month, a delegation of European Parliamentarians of Indian origin would be visiting the country. In January next year, another major delegation would be visiting India to participate in the India-UK Partnership Summit.

While India has liberalised considerably, Lord Bilimoria felt it should open up more in areas like the legal profession and insurance sector. Noting that foreign lawyers were not being allowed to practice in India, the founder of Cobra Beer felt that if the country opened up the legal profession, it would create more jobs for Indian lawyers as foreign barristers would need their help to practice in the country.

Similarly, he wanted the insurance sector to be opened up so that people could have better health insurance facilities. "I have always had the faith that India, the most complex, most diverse country in the world in every respect, will face up to challenges and succeed," he said.