21 APRIL 2022 /

BRITISH PRIME MINISTER VISITS INDIA /

“India and the UK must develop strong bilateral defence ties,” said UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson while visiting India on a two day visit.

“There’s opportunity for us to deepen our security and defence partnership. As you know, the UK is making an Indo-Pacific tilt in our integrated review of our national defence and security strategy”, he was referring to the defence partnership agreed between the two countries.

On 21 April 2022, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrived in Ahmedabad on a two-day visit to India.

Boris Johnson became the first Prime Minister of the UK to visit the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad and also the first British Prime Minister to visit Gujarat since independence.

“It is an immense privilege to come to the ashram of this extraordinary man, and to understand how he mobilised such simple principles of truth and non-violence to change the world for better,” UK Prime Minister wrote in the visitor’s book after trying to spin ‘charka’, the symbol of India’s national movement during the Independence struggle.

On 22 April 2022, after an in-depth talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at New Delhi Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: 

“As India celebrates its 75th year of independence, I’m hugely optimistic about the depth of the friendship between our countries, and the security and prosperity it can deliver for our peoples for generations to come.”

The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson described the India-UK relationship as a ‘beacon in stormy seas’.

The two leaders reviewed the implementation of Roadmap 2030 adopted in the Virtual Summit 2021 on various topics including economy, energy, climate and people –to-people ties.

“We have decided to do our best to conclude the free trade agreement by the end of this year,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India’s commitments in expanding the ties in key areas of trade and economy adopted at the Summit last year.

•  Discussed the situation in Ukraine and called for immediate ceasefire and urged to a ‘dialogue and  diplomacy’ to solve the conflict

•   Respect territorial integrity and sovereignty of all countries

•  Agreed to work together to meet new threats across land, sea, air and cyber domains

•  UK will partner with India on new fighter jet technology and maritime sphere

•  Underscored the need for inclusive and representative government in Afghanistan

•  Decided to include the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in the negotiations and strengthen the ties.

•  Expedite ambitious Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and will support more skilled visas for Indians

•  Welcomed UK’s commitment to public finance of 1 billion USD in climate related projects in India during   2022-26 period

•  Welcomed the launch of India-UK Strategic Future Forum for promoting democratic institutions including the parliament and judiciary

•  Enhanced partnership in science, technology, education, research and innovation

•  Six Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) include two government to government and four with private  entities

GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT (G2G ) MoUs

• Global Innovation Partnership & Co-operation on Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership

NON-GOVERNMENT MoUs

•  Establishment of a short term Chair at Birmingham City University (BCU) between ICCR and BCU.

•  Co-operation in the field of Offshore Wind Development

• Creation of The Chevening/Adani Scholarships on Artificial Intelligence.

•  Satellite launch programme between New Space India Limited (NSIL) and OneWeb

•   India invests billions of pounds in UK and will create 11000 jobs in UK

•    More skilled work visas granted last year – 67,839 issued last year

•  Cost of energy will reduce after a partnership on hydrogen, electric vehicle and other sources of energy