New Delhi: Terming the ties between India and Britain as "extraordinary", Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, today (October 29) said the relationship between the two countries is "acutely modern in many of its manifestations", driven by a healthy and shared perception.

"This extraordinary bond has deep historical roots, but is acutely modern in many of its manifestations. That modern relationship is driven by a healthy and shared perception that both countries have a lot to gain from building it further," he said at a reception hosted in his honour by the British Council.

Observing that India and the UK were trading with each other and investing in each other as "never before", the Prince, who arrived in New Delhi on a nine-day visit to the country, said he was told that bilateral trade grew by an astonishing 16 per cent in the first six months of this year.

"But it is perhaps in the sharing of people and knowledge that our relationship is so unusual and so strong," he said referring to 1.3 million of Indian-origin residents in UK.

Charles, who called on President A P J Abdul Kalam early this morning, cited the President's emphasis that knowledge has "always been the prime mover of prosperity and power" and said, "I believe that herein lies one of the keys to our successful and close partnership."

"India has deep roots in our past. It is part of our collective memory. It will also be a long-term partner in our future security and prosperity," he asserted.

The Prince, who is visiting India after a gap of 11 years, said the two countries must continuously "reconnect" and help build and strengthen the relationship.

Lauding the role of British Council, Charles, who is the Vice Patron of the Council, said there had been a big increase in the past four years in the number of Indian students going to Britain. He said there were now nearly 12,000 arriving to study this year.

The Prince was introduced to a number of prominent Indians from the field of arts, conservation, education and creative industries.

PTI