Boris Johnson’s Big “India-Specific” Announcement In Defence Partnership

British PM Boris Johnson arrived in Gujarat on Thursday for the start of his two-day visit to India. He is meeting with PM Modi as the UK looks to increase its footprint in defence production in India, and new cooperation on clean & renewable energy.

While addressing the media along with his British counterpart, PM Modi said, “While India is celebrating the “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” (celebrations on the 75th year of independence), the UK Prime Minister’s visit is historic.” The two leaders stressed the progress of the Free Trade Agreement between the two countries, their climate commitments at Glasgow, and the need for a “free and open” Indo-Pacific.

“We aim to have a new Free Trade Agreement by Diwali…I have urged officials to get it done by Diwali. We appreciate the tariffs being dropped by India on certain goods and commodities and in return, we too are dropping some tariffs we levy. We also look forward to the close cooperation shared between the UK’s NHS and India’s health services,” the British PM said.

The UK is creating an India specific open general export license reducing bureaucracy and reducing delivery times for defence procurement: British PM Boris Johnson in Delhi.

PM Modi said that the two leaders stressed the need for a ceasefire in Ukraine and the resolution of conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy. “We reiterated the importance of territorial integrity and sovereignty of all nations,” he said.

Britain and India have agreed to a “new and expanded” defence and security partnership, Boris Johnson said. The two countries have a “shared interest in keeping the Indo-Pacific open and free”, he added, calling the new partnership “a decades-long commitment”.

“We reiterated our support to a peaceful, stable and secure Afghanistan and an inclusive representative government. It’s essential that Afghan territory is not used to spread terror in other countries,” PM Modi said.

Last year, Prime Minister Johnson and PM Modi agreed on a UK-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, announcing more than 530 million pounds in investment into the UK and committing to a deeper bilateral relationship across trade, health, climate, defence and security, and connecting our people. An ambitious “Roadmap 2030” was also launched to steer the direction of the India-UK relationship in this decade. PM Modi said they reviewed progress on this roadmap today and set goals for the future.

“The UK’s partnership with India is a beacon in stormy seas as the world faces growing threats from autocratic states which seek to undermine democracy, choke off fair trade and trample on sovereignty,” Mr Johnson said.

Mr Johnson said he discussed next-generation defence and security collaboration across the five domains – land, sea, air, space and cyber – as the two countries face “complex new threats”. “UK will work with India to boost security in the Indo-Pacific, including new fighter jet technology, helicopters and collaboration in the undersea battlespace.

PM will also discuss new cooperation on clean and renewable energy,” PM Johnson said.

PM Modi invited the UK to join India’s “National Hydrogen Mission” to deepen the two country’s climate and energy partnerships. “The UK and India are launching a virtual Hydrogen Science and Innovation hub to accelerate affordable green hydrogen, as well as new funding for the Green Grids Initiative announced at COP26, and collaboration on joint work on the electrification of public transport across India,” a UK release had earlier said.