Boris Johnson’s India visit likely to propel free trade talks

The officials maintain that discussions with the U.K. over India’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict have remained “cordial”, with a respect for New Delhi’s hopes of a peaceful resolution through diplomatic means.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to arrive in India next week, soon after the long Easter break in the U.K., with a state visit that highlights a successful India-U.K. partnership on the agenda besides a wide-ranging schedule in New Delhi, according to highly-placed Indian government sources.

The visit next week, which is yet to be formally announced by Downing Street, follows the successful completion of four out of 26 chapters in the ongoing India-U.K. free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Johnson are expected to take stock of the negotiations and mandate a timeline for the possible completion of the process, initially set for the end of this year.

According to officials close to the discussions, there has also been “significant progress” in the remaining 22 chapters of the FTA at the end of the first two rounds of official negotiations, with the third round of talks scheduled for later this month.

The focal point of Mr. Johnson’s India visit is expected to be on April 21 and 22, when bilateral discussions and interactions with Indian business leaders are on the cards. A joint statement, being worked on by both sides, is likely to cover agreements across a variety of sectors, including defence and security and education.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict is likely to feature strongly during the meeting, but officials pointed out that other regional matters such as the situation in Afghanistan and the U.K.’s Indo-Pacific tilt will be high on the agenda of the bilateral visit.