Trade, Terror And Ukraine: UK PM Boris Johnson Visits India To Meet PM Modi On Thursday | Top Points

The United Kingdom (UK) prime minister Boris Johnson is set to begin his visit to India on Thursday as he will meet key industrialists in Gujarat’s GIFT City. He will also meet Gujarat chief minister Bhupendrabhai Patel. A report by news agency the Hindu also said that Johnson is also likely to meet industrialist Gautam Adani during his visit to Gujarat.

UK PM Boris Johnson will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday in New Delhi and the war in Ukraine is likely to feature during the discussions between both leaders. The UK will try to persuade India to shift its stance on the war in Ukraine but New Delhi has already criticised the hostilities and urged all parties to continue negotiations.

The discussions will also rotate around counterterrorism and India is expected to highlight how Khalistani elements are using the UK to spread hatred and create instability. The UK media watchdog recently banned programmes by a Khalistani channel after it violated broadcast guidelines and broadcast material which could have led to violence among people and also advocated for the same.

India will also discuss the role of Pakistan’s Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) in empowering Khalistani elements where Pakistan’s role in causing instability in Afghanistan and the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir will also feature, according to a separate report by news agency Hindustan Times. Both leaders are also expected to discuss the issues related to China and the Indo-Pacific.

Trade will, however, remain the most important aspect of the discussions between PM Modi and his English counterpart. According to a report by Moneycontrol, the UK is expected to push further to gain greater access to Indian markets. The UK wants to pay lower duties but people familiar with the developments told Moneycontrol that it would be difficult to negotiate lower duties on other items.

India will also push the Boris-led administration to ease tough visa regulations which restrict hiring by Indian firms in the UK. India will also ask the UK to remove practices limiting drug manufacturing by Indian firms based in the UK, according to Moneycontrol.

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