London: Britain today (May 14, 2004) asserted that India will remain its key strategic ally despite a change in the Government there.

"The UK-India bilateral relationship, which grew to new level in the last few years is important for the UK, and India will remain a key strategic ally," a spokesman of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office said.

Reacting to the electoral verdict a day after Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee submitted his resignation, he said, "We expect Congress president Sonia Gandhi to form the new Government."

"We welcome the fact that 380 million people voted in the largest Democratic election in the world which was largely peaceful. People have expressed their will through a legitimate Democratic process that has been respected fully by India's political leadership."