The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, will be in India on Thursday (21.04.2022) in Ahmedabad.
Boris will be meeting India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, on April 22 in New Delhi. This is his first visit to India as the Prime Minister of the UK. The main focus of his visit to India is to discuss the defense and economic partnerships between the nations.
They will also discuss the war between Russia and Ukraine, which is affecting each other’s economic status and also other countries’.
The British Prime Minister’s visit was postponed a few times due to the widespread of the COVID-19 virus in India. India hasn’t given a direct statement on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The UK is also trying to hinder India from having trade connections with Russia since it started invading Ukraine, as it may affect India’s trade connections.
They will also talk about science, health, and technology.
Johnson’s statement on his visit to India is to “deepen our long-term partnership for peace and prosperity with a fellow leading democracy, in the face of global economic challenges and threats from autocratic states.” They will also be discussing the ongoing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the UK. Further, he said, “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.”
The Brexit Strategy and Its Impact on Britain
Boris will be bringing out the post-Brexit strategy as this trade deal is predicted to boost Britain’s total trade by up to 28 billion pounds by the year 2035.
What is Brexit?
The term “Brexit” is an abbreviation of the words “Britain” and “exit.” This refers to the exit of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) on January 31, 2020. The UK has been a member of the union since January 1, 1994. The UK was the only sovereign country to leave the European Union. The main reason for Britain to leave the union was that people voted to leave the union, as they wanted the UK to make its own decisions and principles for itself and not the European Union. It gained Britain control over immigration and its borders.
The agreement also had a positive impact on the UK’s the trade and economy. It allowed the UK to have free trade with non-EU markets like America and Australia.
It had a negative impact as well. The UK was set to pay taxes and charges for its imports and exports, in case the products were not produced in the UK. The nation should meet certain requirements set by TCA (Trade and Cooperation Agreement) to trade across the world.
A trade deal between the UK and India
The United Kingdom will be bringing up a trade deal worth £28 billion with India. In May 2021, both nations agreed to adopt a 10-year roadmap in a virtual summit. Narendra Modi and Boris Johnson announced that a 10-year year roadmap is to develop bilateral relationships and strategic partnerships between the nations in fields like defense security, trade and economy, and health. The roadmap 2030 will also ensure both nations enhance global health security and pandemic resilience. In January 2022, the first Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was concluded for bilateral trade between the UK and India.
In March 2022, the second round of agreements was concluded between the countries. During this visit, India and the United Kingdom will negotiate a trade worth £28 billion, which will result in the expansion of trade in both countries.
On April 21, 2022, Boris Johnson is expected to announce new technologies, science, and trade agreements in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Boris Johnson added that “My visit to India will deliver on the things that matter to the people of both our nations—from job creation and economic growth to energy security and defense.”
Indo-Pacific security
The Prime Ministers will also talk about how to strengthen Indo-Pacific security. As India is neutral in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, it may cause some problems for India. Boris Johnson also said, “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.“
Edited By: Vanshika Sahu
Published By: Akshaj joshi
