NEW DELHI: During discussions between their prime ministers on Friday, Britain will offer to speed up defence cooperation with India, including assistance in building its own fighter planes and faster delivery of defence equipment, as the West strives to entice India away from Russia.
Boris Johnson will explore ways to improve trade and security ties with India, which buys over half of its military gear from Russia.
After a brief welcome at the presidential palace, Johnson observed, “This is a very auspicious moment in a relationship and friendship between two democracies.”
“I don’t think the relationship has ever been as good.”
The decision comes after the US offered greater defence and energy sales to India last month after President Joe Biden dubbed India’s anti-Russian actions “shaky.”
Following the invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a special military operation, Britain seeks to convince India to distance itself from Russia.
India did not vote against the invasion and did not impose sanctions on Moscow, a stance that provoked a recent flurry of diplomatic action, including visits by the Russian and Chinese foreign ministers.
Britain claimed it would help India manufacture its own fighter jets to save money on military imports. With Russian, British, and French fighter jets.
The former colonial power would provide India with an open general export permit to speed up the supply of defence products. Only the EU and the US have such permits, according to Johnson’s spokesperson.
This would mean more joint military drills and officer exchanges.
Russian equipment
However, despite the UK’s offer of deeper security cooperation, India will continue to rely on Russian military technology, in part because it is cheaper.
“Russia’s offer to India is always that ‘Our cupboard is open’, (but) Britain doesn’t offer India everything it wants and what it does make available is usually more expensive,” he said.
Johnson and Modi will also talk about trade as they strive to reach an agreement before the 2024 national elections.
The value of British commerce with India in 2019 was 23 billion pounds ($29.93 billion), surpassed only by trade with Ireland, a 4 million-strong nation.
But with a population of over 1.4 billion, India presents a large potential market.
Tariffs and restrictions for Indian students and professionals visiting Britain are likely to be relaxed.
On the plane to India, Johnson said that Britain was facing a severe shortfall of hundreds of thousands of people, notably in IT.
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