New Delhi:
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s two-day visit to India from Thursday is aimed at strengthening general ties between the two countries, especially on defence, security and trade, and he will not lecture India on how to respond. on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, people familiar with the development said Wednesday.
They said Johnson’s talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi will mainly focus on the situation in the Indo-Pacific, as the UK strongly opposes any form of coercion in the region.
The people said the UK is ready to expand its cooperation in realizing Modi’s vision of making India a center for defense production and for transferring technologies for the joint production of military hardware.
The British Prime Minister arrives in Ahmedabad on Thursday morning. After a series of assignments in Gujarat during the day, he will leave for Delhi in the evening.
Johnson and Modi will hold extensive talks in Delhi on Friday.
On the crisis in Ukraine, people said Johnson will not lecture India on his response to the Russian invasion and will explain the UK’s perspective on it and listen to New Delhi’s views.
It’s not the UK’s job to tell other countries what to do, said one of the people mentioned above, adding that the long-term ramifications of the Russian attack could be discussed.
“Both sides understand each other’s position,” the person said.
Talks between Prime Minister Modi and Johnson are expected to further stimulate negotiations between the two sides for an ambitious free trade agreement between them, the people said.
Both sides are committed to concluding the negotiations before the end of the year.
The goal is to have something lasting for the next 25 years, said one of the people mentioned above, stressing how important the UK attaches to its ties to India.
People said that while Johnson’s visit takes place against the background of the crisis in Ukraine, talks will focus on a wide range of key bilateral issues with the aim of further strengthening ties.
Discussions about ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific will be “central” to talks between the two prime ministers.
On defense production cooperation, people said the UK is ready for technology transfer to ensure Modi’s vision of integration in defense production is realized.
They said the “people-to-people” link is a “living bridge” between the two sides and India remains the number one country globally ahead of the UK in issuing visas to skilled immigrants.
They said the proportion of skilled Indians getting visas is about 40 percent.
Asked about the extradition of fugitive liquor lord Vijay Mallya, the above-mentioned people said it is a legal matter.
Over alleged activities on British soil by certain pro-Khalist elements, they said the UK is for fighting extremism and controlling forces that are on the wrong side of the law.
The relationship between the two countries was elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership during the India-UK virtual summit between Modi and Johnson in May last year.
At the summit, the two sides adopted a 10-year roadmap to expand bilateral ties in key areas of trade and economics, defense and security, climate change and people-to-people connections.