India, March 9 -- Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar inaugurated the consulate in Mancherster on Saturday and hoped it will strengthen people-to-people, cultural, trade and, of course, cricket ties between the India and the UK.

Writing on X after the inauguration of the consulate, Jaishankar said: "This step delivers on the longstanding desire of our community and friends of India in Manchester."

"This step delivers on the longstanding desire of our community and friends of India in Manchester," he said.

Jaishankar said India sees the Free Trade Agreement between the two nations as a 'game changer'.

"Clearly the free trade agreement is very much at the heart of that in the near term. But we look at the free trade agreement ...