Boris Johnson, a cheerleader for India-UK ties
London, July 7
As Boris Johnson on Thursday announced that his innings at 10 Downing Street will soon end, his term as British PM will be remembered for setting the India-UK relations on the course of a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”. Widely seen as an enthusiastic cheerleader for closer ties with India, Johnson had a palpably close bond with PM Modi – someone he would often refer to as his special friend or khaas dost.
Trade Negotiations significant: India
We attach importance to negotiations that are going on with the UK on a trade deal. Whether a change of the PM would impact that would be in the speculation zone. Arindam Bagchi, India’s external affairs ministry spokesperson
The two PMs had pledged to achieve a “quantum leap” in the bilateral relationship as they clinched an “Enhanced Trade Partnership” as part of the 2030 UK-India Roadmap in May last year, with the aim of at least doubling bilateral trade by 2030 from around GBP 24 billion. This marked the starting gun for the ongoing FTA negotiations, with a deadline for a draft agreement by Diwali this year agreed during Johnson’s visit to India in April.
“India is also our biggest partner in the Indo-Pacific, which is increasingly the geopolitical centre of the world,” Johnson had said during his India visit.
