New Delhi: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday said this was an auspicious moment in friendship with India and between the two largest democracies. The UK Prime Minister was given a ceremonial reception and a Guard of Honour at Rashtrapati Bhawan where he was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Talking to the media after the ceremonial welcome, Johnson said that relations with India were never so strong. He also thanked the Gujarat government and the people for putting up a grand reception on his arrival in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
After his reception, the UK Prime Minister visited Rajghat to lay a wreath on the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi. The British Prime Minister, who is on a two-day visit to India, will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the day for talks on the UK and India's strategic defence, a diplomatic and economic partnership aimed at bolstering close ties and stepping up security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
Read: We have already raised Ukraine war issue with Modi at diplomatic level, says British PM Johnson
He will be holding a meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at Hyderabad House and later will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Modi. Johnson reached Delhi late on Thursday night and was received by Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar at the Airport. The British Prime Minister arrived in Ahmedabad on Thursday, where he was given a grand welcome. The UK and Indian businesses are going to confirm more than one billion pounds in new investments and export deals on Friday in areas ranging from software engineering to health and creating almost 11,000 jobs across the UK, the British High Commission said in a statement.
Last year, Johnson and PM Modi agreed on a UK-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, announcing more than 530 million pounds in investment into the UK and committing to a deeper bilateral relationship across trade, health, climate, defence and security, and connecting our people. India was also identified as a priority relationship for the UK in the 2021 Integrated Review and was invited by the UK as a guest to last year's G7 in Carbis Bay. The third round of negotiations will begin next week and the two sides are keen to double bilateral trade by 2030. The United Kingdom is also looking to increase its footprint in defence production in India.
British Prime Minister's visit to India beginning comes amid the rising importance of the Indo-Pacific and India's centrality in the region with the two countries set to further intensify cooperation across the full spectrum of bilateral ties. The Russia-Ukraine conflict is expected to figure in the bilateral talks with Johnson putting forth UK position and listening to the Indian perspective while not lecturing India, sources said. They said the two sides understand and respect each other's position on Ukraine and it will be part of the discussion.
Read: Bulldozer diplomacy: Boris Johnson climbs aboard JCB during factory visit in Gujarat
with Agency inputs
