UK PM Johnson to arrive in Ahmedabad on April 21, hold 'in-depth' talks with Modi

Johnson’s first visit to India as UK Prime Minister will begin on April 21 with a trip to Ahmedabad in Gujarat, which is Prime Minister Modi’s home state

Boris Johnson will become the first British Prime Minister to visit Gujarat when he lands in Ahmedabad this week for a two-day visit to India for “in-depth talks” with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

Johnson’s first visit to India as UK Prime Minister will begin on April 21 with a trip to Ahmedabad in Gujarat, which is the ancestral home of around half of the British-Indian population in the UK.

Subsequently, the British Prime Minister would proceed to New Delhi to meet Modi on April 22, where the focus would be on India-UK strategic defence, diplomatic and economic partnership, the British High Commission said in a statement here.

In 2021, Johnson was invited as a Chief Guest for the Republic Day, but he cancelled his visit citing the need to oversee the pandemic response at home. A second trip planned for April was also cancelled.

The Modi-Johnson meeting assumes significance in the backdrop of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict as the international community has failed to dissuade the two warring nations to adopt a ceasefire and return to the discussion table to iron out the disputes.

“As we face threats to our peace and prosperity from autocratic states, it is vital that democracies and friends stick together. India, as a major economic power and the world’s largest democracy, is a highly valued strategic partner for the UK in these uncertain times,” Johnson said in a statement.

In Gujarat, the visiting Prime Minister is expected to announce major investments in key industries in both the UK and India, boosting jobs and growth at home, as well as new collaboration on cutting-edge science, health and technology.

He will use the visit to drive progress in the Free Trade Agreement negotiations launched earlier this year – a deal with India is predicted to boost UK's total trade by up to £28 billion annually by 2035 and increase wages across the UK by up to £3 billion.

Modi and Johnson last met in person on the sidelines of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow in November last year.

Last year, Johnson and Modi agreed on a UK-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with more than £530m in investment into the UK and committed to a deeper bilateral relationship across trade, health, climate, defence and security besides connecting people.

The UK is leveraging post-Brexit trade opportunities with India’s growing economy to drive down prices in key commodities for consumers, open opportunities for UK businesses in areas like green tech and services, and create high-wage, high-skill jobs.

Investment from Indian companies already supports 95,000 jobs across the UK, which is expected to be boosted by upcoming announcements and a future free trade deal.

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