Boris Johnson will fly to India in the new year
Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Boris Johnson will visit India next month in what will be his first major bilateral trip since he became Prime Minister, as he prepares to refocus attention on the Indo-Pacific after Brexit.
The Prime Minister will make the journey in January in order to strengthen the relationship, which supports jobs and investment across the UK, and reinforces Mr Johnson’s commitment to Global Britain.
The UK’s trade and investment relationship with India is worth around £24 billion a year and supports more than half a million jobs, while 842 Indian companies exist in the UK with a combined turnover of £41.2 billion. In India, there are more than 400 British companies.
New Delhi, December 15
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has accepted India’s invitation to be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations on January 26, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said at a media conference after talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar here on Monday.
A separate announcement from 10, Downing Street, had Johnson describing India as a key player in the Indo-Pacific region and an increasingly indispensable partner for the UK in economy, security and climate change.
Johnson will be the second UK Prime Minister to attend the Republic Day celebrations after John Major in 1993.
Raab said both sides had also agreed on key elements of a 10-year India-UK roadmap which may be unveiled during Johnson’s visit. He will discuss the roadmap on Wednesday when he calls on PM Modi.