British PM Boris Johnson's two-day India visit begins on Thursday; focus on trade and defence ties

Tribune News Service

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, April 20

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not lecture India on Ukraine during his first two-day visit beginning from Thursday but will put the UK’s position and listen to the Indian perspective, said diplomatic sources here.

In London, Johnson’s spokesperson said on his first trip to India as PM, he will discuss strengthening security co-operation in meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The British PM will be accompanied by a large business delegation to indicate that the focus is on trade and investment with the stated intention being to give momentum to negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement. But the UK is looking to increase its footprint in defence production in India, said the British official.

In Delhi, sources said while trade and talks on Ukraine are on the agenda, the two sides will not lose sight of the Indo-Pacific which will be central to the talks between the two PMs.

Johnson’s trip will begin in PM Modi’s home state Gujarat, where he is expected to announce investment and new collaboration in science, health and technology. Officials sidestepped criticism about his plans to visit a bulldozer plant in the state, saying the intention is to step up investments. This is the first time a British Prime Minister has visited the coastal state. The diplomatic official here said this is due to several factors such as investment made and in the pipeline and a large Indian Diaspora from the state, including UK Home Secretary Priti Patel.

On the Khalistani issue, the officials said this is something that India and the UK have been talking about and assured that London will counter anyone on the wrong side of law

From Gujarat, Johnson will travel to New Delhi for talks on Friday with PM Modi, where they will discuss a new defence partnership and a free trade agreement.

Johnson, who had made a surprise visit to Kyiv to express solidarity with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has involved the UK deep in the Ukraine war that includes turning a blind eye to its nationals enrolling as mercenaries against the Russian forces. The British PM is now having to face calls for repatriation from two UK nationals captured by the Russian troops in Mariupol.

Johnson is also facing domestic headwinds and the day he arrives in India, there will be a vote in the House of Commons over referring him to an investigation for deliberately misleading Parliament about parties in Downing Street that broke the strict Covid restrictions then in place.

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