During the two-day visit, Johnson will hold talks with Monti in New Delhi, focusing on strengthening security cooperation between India and the United Kingdom in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as strategic defense in the light of growing Russian aggression. Throughout the conflict in Ukraine, India maintained a strategically neutral stance toward Russia. Monti has expressed concern about the use of force against civilians, such as the one recorded in Bhutan, but India has chosen to abstain from the crucial UN vote condemning Russia. Monti even met this year with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. India’s stance has been met with frustration by some Western allies, including US President Joe Biden, who last month accused India of being “somewhat volatile” in its response to Russian aggression. “As we face threats to our peace and prosperity from authoritarian states, it is vital that democracies and friends stay together,” Johnson said, commenting ahead of his visit. “India, as the great economic power and the largest democracy in the world, is a valuable strategic partner for the United Kingdom in these uncertain times.” He added: “My visit to India will offer things that really matter to the people of both our nations – from job creation and economic growth to energy security and defense.” As part of his trip, Johnson will also meet companies in Gujarat, where he is expected to announce further co-operation between the two countries in areas such as health and technology and significant investments in critical industries in the UK and India. Trade between India and the United Kingdom is estimated at 23 23 billion each year. The two countries agreed last year on a comprehensive UK-India strategic partnership, which the UK government says will bring in more than 53 533 million in investment from India and create more than 6,500 jobs. . In a statement Sunday, India’s foreign ministry hailed the countries’ “historic relationship” and said leaders would review progress as part of the strategic partnership. Johnson is also expected to continue negotiations on a free trade agreement, which began in January. Johnson’s trip to New Delhi comes after Secretary of State Liz Trouss visited India last month for what the British Foreign Office said was “part of a wider diplomatic push following Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.” New Delhi has avoided publicly criticizing Moscow for the conflict because the countries have historically maintained close ties. Most of India’s weapons are sourced from Russia and New Delhi, and Moscow renewed a 10-year military cooperation agreement when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Monti in December. India is more concerned about China, with which it clashed over its disputed borders in the Himalayas in 2020, and wants to keep Moscow close, given Russia’s friendly relationship with Beijing. Despite diplomatic pressure on Ukraine, Troy’s visit highlighted London’s limited influence in New Delhi. During a tense public exchange with its Indian counterpart S Jaishankar, who defended India’s declining oil markets from Russia while Europe continues to buy Russian fuel, Truss made a note of reconciliation. “India is a sovereign nation,” he said. “I’m not going to tell India what to do.” Johnson’s journey comes as the UK government aims to refocus efforts in the Indo-Pacific region as part of its strategy for a global Britain. The comprehensive review, a defense and security document published in March 2021, argued that the Indo-Pacific would be of “increasing geopolitical and economic importance” in the coming years. In particular, the review highlighted India’s strategic value and outlined the UK Government’s intention to strengthen its cooperation with the country in areas such as defense, trade and climate change. “The UK-India relationship is already strong, but over the next 10 years we seek to transform our cooperation across the spectrum of our common interests,” the review said.
