London/New Delhi: – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has accepted the invitation to grace the occasion of the Indian Republic Day. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that he is excited to visit India, as next year is the beginning of Global Britain. British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab, who is on a visit to India, confirmed the visit of the British Prime Minister.
During last year, the British relations with China have festered, and Brexit will harm British cooperation with the European countries. Only last month, a British think tank had advised the Johnson government to formulate a policy for the Indo-Pacific, centred around a democratic country like India. Against this background, the acceptance of the invitation by the British Prime Minister indicates that the United Kingdom has initiated expeditious steps to improve relations with a fast-developing country like India.
Prime Minister Johnson announced his India visit, next year, through a statement issued on Tuesday. Johnson stated, ‘Next year is the beginning of the Global Britain concept. At this time, I am excited to visit a country like India. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and I have set a goal to take a quantum leap in the India-UK relations. We will definitely succeed in the effort.’ Boris Johnson becomes the second British Prime Minister to be the Chief Guest, for the Indian Republic Day ceremony, in three decades. Before this, in 1993, the then Prime Minister John Major had been the Chief Guest of the Republic Day ceremony.
British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab is currently in India as a precursor for the British Prime Minister’s visit. He met Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday and held talks for nearly four hours. Both the sides informed that Coronavirus, defence, trade and bilateral cooperation in other sectors featured in the discussions. Discussions regarding Afghanistan, Indo-Pacific and the situation in the Gulf also were held during the meeting. The Indian Foreign Minister said in his reaction, ‘We are focussed on taking the bilateral cooperation to a new height.’
Sources indicated that special stress would be given on Free Trade Agreement and Indi-UK Defence Logistics Pact during the visit of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. At the same time, it is being said that digital technologies, environment and Coronavirus vaccine also will be a part of the bilateral discussions.
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