Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday welcomed UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson with a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi.
The UK Prime Minister is on a two-day visit to Indi. He was accorded a Guard of Honour upon his arrival at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. “It is a very auspicious moment in India-UK friendship and two democracies, largest and one of the oldest. I do not think things have ever been so strong and good between India and UK as they are now,” Johnson said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives UK PM Boris Johnson at Rashtrapati Bhavan pic.twitter.com/BbGjwOWDQU
— ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2022
Johnson reached Gujarat on Thursday at the start of his visit to India to hold in-depth 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.
“They (People of Gujarat) put on a fantastic welcome for us. It was absolutely extraordinary. I have never seen such a joyful reception.” “I would have not gotten the same reception anywhere else in the world. It was amazing to see your (PM Modi’s) home state for the first time,” Johnson said.
The British PM earlier today laid a wreath at Raj Ghat and paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
“UK will work with India to boost security in the Indo-Pacific, including new fighter jet technology, helicopters and collaboration in the undersea battlespace. PM will also discuss new cooperation on clean and renewable energy,” a British High Commission release said.
“The UK and India are launching a virtual Hydrogen Science and Innovation hub to accelerate affordable green hydrogen, as well as new funding for the Green Grids Initiative announced at COP26, and collaboration on joint work on the electrification of public transport across India,” the UK release said.
According to a statement by the British High Commission, Prime Minister Johnson will use the visit to drive progress in the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations launched earlier this year as a deal with India is predicted to boost UK’s total trade by up to 28 billion pounds annually by 2035 and increase incomes across the UK by up to 3 billion pounds.
