British Prime Minister David Cameron told Indian workers on Monday (February 18), that Britain wanted India to be its business partner of choice in the future, but that the country needed to open up its economy to make business easier.

Making his second visit to India as prime minister, Cameron's trip comes days after a similar trade mission by French President Francois Hollande, underlining how Europe's debt-stricken states are competing to tap into one of the world's fastest-growing economies.

Speaking to workers at Hindustan Unilever Ltd, Cameron said there were huge ties between India and Britain and there was room for a growing partnership.

"As far as I'm concerned, the sky is the limit. It's about business, economy and trade. But it's also about culture, it's about politics, it's about diplomacy. India is going to be one of the leading nations in this century and we want to be your partners," he said.

But Cameron told his hosts they should open up their economy because Britain had done the same for Indian firms. He said he was proud of the fact that Indian companies like Tata group, the owner Jaguar Land Rover, had such a strong foothold in the British economy, but said he expected a reciprocal arrangement.

Investors have been clamouring for years for India to open up Asia's third-largest economy to more foreign investment. But their entreaties have been resisted by Indian opposition groups worried about potential damage to home-grown businesses.

Presented by Adam Justice