Boris Johnson and India’s Narendra Modi to discuss defence and tradeon April 21, 2022 at 9:31 pm

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will discuss defence and energy ties with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi during talks on Friday.

At their meeting in New Delhi, the pair are also expected to talk about a post-Brexit trade deal, ahead of a fresh round of negotiations next week.

Mr Johnson has also pledged to raise the issue of India’s relations with Russia amid the war in Ukraine.

India is facing pressure from Western counties to drop its neutral stance.

On Thursday, Mr Johnson acknowledged India, which has strong ties to Russia, was “not in the same place” as the UK over the conflict.

But he told reporters there was still a “huge amount we can work on together”.

The meeting between the two leaders in India’s capital comes on the final day of Mr Johnson’s two-day trip to the country, which has been much delayed by Covid.

At the same time, the prime minster has been facing pressure at home over whether he has misled MPs over lockdown parties in Whitehall.

He now faces a Commons investigation into the issue, after he abandoned plans to delay a vote on a probe after opposition from his own MPs.

Ahead of their meeting on Friday, Downing Street announced the UK planned to streamline its licencing rules for exporting military hardware to India.

No 10 also said the two countries would be boosting their security co-operation in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Indian Ocean.

And there was a commitment to increase research into lowering the cost of “green” hydrogen power – part of the UK’s renewable energy plans.

The two leaders will also discuss the latest in UK-India trade talks – where Mr Johnson has set an autumn target for an agreement to be signed.

However, conversations between the leaders on the invasion of Ukraine are likely to prove more difficult.

Along with other Western countries, the UK has been trying to persuade India to take a tougher stance against Moscow, which is its biggest arms supplier.

Earlier this month, India condemned killings in the Ukrainian town of Bucha – the strongest statement it has made since Russia’s invasion.

But it stopped short of blaming Russia for the violence, and has not criticised Russia directly since its invasion in February.

Ahead of his meeting with Mr Modi, Mr Johnson said collaboration with India on issues including climate change and security was of “vital importance”.

He added: “The world faces growing threats from autocratic states which seek to undermine democracy, choke off free and fair trade and trample on sovereignty.

“The UK’s partnership with India is a beacon in these stormy seas.”