Boris Johnson India visit: India, UK decide to push for sealing ambitious free trade agreement by this year

Today, we have agreed on a new & expanded defence & security partnership: British PM Johnson after talks with Modi

We reiterated our support for peaceful, stable & secure Afghanistan: PM Modi after talks with UK PM Boris Johnson. It is necessary that Afghan territory is not used to spread terrorism in other countries: PM Modi said

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday met PM Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House in the national capital and expressed his happiness over the rousing welcome he got when he landed in Ahmedabad. The British prime minister arrived in India on Thursday on a two-day visit in the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war. READ FULL STORY

We reiterated importance of respect for territorial integrity & sovereignty of all countries: PM Modi after talks with UK PM Boris Johnson

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

Since last year, the threats of autocratic coercion have grown even further, therefore it is vital we deepen our cooperation including our shared interest in keeping the Indo-Pacific open and free: British PM Boris Johnson in Delhi

We have decided to do our best to conclude India-UK free trade agreement by end of this year: PM Modi after talks with British PM  Johnson

We reviewed progress made in implementation of Roadmap 2030 & also set some goals for future: PM Modi after talks with UK PM Boris Johnson

We have had wonderful talks today & have strengthened our relationship in every way. The partnership between India and Britain is one of the defining friendships of our times: British PM Boris Johnson in Delhi

It was an amazing reception. I felt like Sachin Tendulkar and like Amitabh Bachchan my images were every where: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson

Last year we (India-UK) launched a comprehensive strategic partnership. Work on FTA is underway. Talks held on defense sector, trade, climate & energy. Talks also hold on free, open & rule-based Indo-pacific region: PM Modi

We expressed our commitment to fulfilling promises made during the last COP 26. We invite the UK to join India's National Hydrogen Mission...We stressed on a free, open, inclusive & rules-based Indo-Pacific region: PM Modi

PM Boris Johnson's visit to India during 'Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' is historic: PM Modi during a joint statement at Hyderabad House in New Delhi

PM Modi and British PM Boris Johnson witness the exchange of agreements between India and the United Kingdom

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson termed his India visit as "auspicious" and told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the ties between the two countries are strong and good. "Don't think things have ever been so strong or good between us as they are now," Johnson told Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to try and help move India away from its dependence on Russia when he meets with his Indian counterpart. The focus will likely be expanding economic and defense ties. (AP)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi & British PM Boris Johnson arrive at Hyderabad House to hold talks 

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, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday. Ahead of his talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Johnson said the India-UK collaboration, from climate change to energy security and defence, is of vital importance as both countries look to the future. The British high commission said Johnson is expected to discuss with Modi the next-generation defence and security collaboration across the five domains -- land, sea, air, space and cyber -- as both nations face complex new threats. This includes support for new Indian-designed and built fighter jets, offering the best of British know-how on building battle-winning aircraft and support India's requirements for new technology to identify and respond to threats in the Indian Ocean, it said in a statement. "To support greater defence and security collaboration with India over the coming decade, the UK will issue an Open General Export Licence (OGEL) to India, reducing bureaucracy and shortening delivery times for defence procurement. This is our first OGEL in the Indo-Pacific region," the high commission said.

It is expected that the Russia-Ukraine conflict will feature prominently during the bilateral talks between the leaders when Johnson is in New Delhi on Friday. Downing Street has stressed that the UK would not look to "lecture" India over its neutral stance in the United Nations or its decision to hike Russian oil imports. "This visit is not framed on the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Obviously, that is really important but this is a visit we have planned for a very long time. India is an incredibly important partner," Johnson's official spokesperson, who is accompanying him to India, told reporters at Downing Street.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday that his long-delayed visit to India will deepen the strategic trade, defence and people-to-people ties between the two countries. Ahead of Johnson's two-day visit, Downing Street has stressed that the UK would not look to "lecture" India over its neutral stance in the United Nations or its decision to hike Russian oil imports. The UK has been trying to persuade India to reduce its reliance on Moscow since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. Addressing the House of Commons for his weekly Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs), Johnson said the trip to Ahmedabad and New Delhi will build on India being invited as a guest country for the G7 Summit hosted by the UK in Cornwall in June last year. "I will be travelling to India to deepen the strategic trade, defence and people- to-people ties between our two countries, building on India's involvement in the Carbis Bay G7 summit," Johnson told members of Parliament. It will be Johnson's first major trip to India as Prime Minister after previous visits were postponed due to Covid. "I will be seeing Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi in Delhi, meeting Indian business people investing in the UK and visiting British investments in India,” he said. The two leaders met in person later in the year, when Modi travelled to Glasgow for the COP26 climate summit in November. This followed Johnson’s planned visits to India in 2021 being cancelled twice due to the pandemic situation in either country.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has expressed his support for more skilled visas for Indians as part of the efforts to expedite the ambitious free trade agreement (FTA) being negotiated between the two countries. Speaking to reporters from the UK on the prime ministerial flight to Ahmedabad on Wednesday night, Johnson acknowledged a massive shortage of experts in IT and programming sectors and said Britain needed "hundreds of thousands” of workers with in-demand skills. He was responding to questions around visas and free movement of people, which has been a key demand on the Indian side to clinch any FTA with the UK. "I have always been in favour of having people coming into this country," Johnson was quoted as saying by ‘The Independent’ newspaper. "We have a massive shortage in the UK, not least in experts in IT and programming. We are short to the tune of hundreds of thousands in our economy. We need to have a professional approach, but it has got to be controlled," he said. According to the latest UK Home Office statistics, Indian professionals continue to account for the largest number of UK skilled work visas granted – with 67,839 issued last year, which is 14 per cent higher than 2019. Indian student numbers have also registered a steady rise since the introduction of post-study work options under the UK's post-Brexit points-based visa system.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday toured the newly-built campus of the Gujarat Biotechnology University (GBU) near Gandhinagar city and also visited the famous Akshardham Temple in the state capital. During his visit to the Akshardham Temple, the British PM was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. 

Boris Johnson poses with Sadhus, or Hindu holy men, in front of the Swaminarayan Akshardham temple, in Gandhinagar, part of his two-day trip to India, Thursday, April 21, 2022.

India-UK trade is just scratching the surface and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s visit to India will build momentum towards a multi-fold increase in goods and services trade, a British industry chief said on Thursday. Lord Karan Bilimoria, the Indian-origin president of the Confederation of British Industry, is in New Delhi for the business-level interactions scheduled as part of the prime ministerial visit on Friday. The founder of the Cobra Beer brand, who heads up the industry body that speaks on behalf of 190,000 British businesses, also expressed his optimism that an India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) can be concluded by the end of this year. "Firms will welcome the GBP 1 billion new investment announcements in India, but the point I do want to make is that we are still scratching the surface when it comes to UK-India trade," Lord Bilimoria told PTI. "We are bilaterally doing GBP 24 billion worth of trade in goods and services and, in my view, it should be a multi-fold of that given the scale of the two economies. With Canada, UK trade is about GBP 20 billion. With China, on the other hand, UK trade is over GBP 90 billion, so we should be doing much more with India. We've got targets to try and double it by 2030, but I believe we can do much more than that and an FTA will really help to scale up the level of trade,” he said.

With the third round of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations scheduled in Delhi for next week, Johnson’s first visit to India as Prime Minister is also expected to push forward trade talks towards an end of the year agreement timeline. Unlike previous prime ministerial visits, he is not accompanied by a business delegation from the UK.

Ahead of Johnson's two-day visit, Downing Street had stressed that the UK would not look to "lecture" India over its neutral stance in the United Nations or its decision to hike Russian oil imports. 

Johnson's visit coincides with a crucial vote in the House of Commons on Thursday, when MPs will decide if Johnson should be referred to the Committee of Privileges over whether he knowingly misled Parliament over the partygate scandal involving lockdown-breaching parties at Downing Street. 

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday in Delhi. The two leaders will hold talks on the UK and India's strategic defence, diplomatic and economic partnership, aimed at bolstering close partnership and stepping up security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Today is the second day of Johnson's two-day visit to India.

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar receives UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson at Delhi Airport