UK’s Boris Johnson to meet Narendra Modi in India next week to discuss trade and defence
- Britain and India hold divergent views on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. London has imposed sanctions on Moscow, but India has not openly condemned the Kremlin
- ‘It is vital that democracies and friends stick together,’ Johnson said ahead of his first to India as British leader
Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to travel to India next week to discuss trade and security with his counterpart Narendra Modi, who has taken a neutral stance on Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“As we face threats to our peace and prosperity from autocratic states, it is vital that democracies and friends stick together,” Johnson said in a statement before the visit, his first to India as British leader.
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Why India is walking a diplomatic tightrope over Ukraine-Russia crisis
Britain and India hold divergent views on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While London has imposed economic sanctions on Moscow and supplied weapons to Kyiv, Modi’s government has not openly condemned the Kremlin or backed a UN Security Council vote that deplored Moscow’s “aggression” against its neighbour.
India says Russia is a long-term friend and an essential pillar of its foreign policy, and it relies on a strategic partnership with Moscow for its national security.
Johnson said the visit from April 21-22 would focus on what he said were “the things that really matter to the people of both our nations – from job creation and economic growth, to energy security and defence”.
“India, as a major economic power and the world’s largest democracy, is a highly valued strategic partner for the UK in these uncertain times,” he added.