UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to be the main guest on Republic Day 2021 and will be formally invited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their November 27 phone conversation. Johnson, for his part, invited Prime Minister Modi to the G-7 summit in the UK next year, people familiar with the development said.
The last British Prime Minister in the Republic Day parade was John Major in 1993.
While New Delhi is keeping its lips closed on the issue, diplomats believe it is a well thought out strategy on the part of Prime Minister Modi to invite his UK counterpart with a hard Brexit on the horizon and London uncomfortable with a special relationship with the USA under the incoming administration of Joe Biden.
In his November 27 tweet, Prime Minister Modi said he had an excellent discussion with his friend, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, on an ambitious roadmap for India-UK relations in the next decade.
“We agreed to work towards a qualitative leap in our cooperation in all areas: trade and investment, defense and security, climate change and the fight against Covid-19,” Prime Minister Modi said in his tweet.
UK-based people familiar with the matter said the conversation between the two prime ministers was very positive, in particular with Prime Minister Johnson offering a free trade deal with India and deepening cooperation on climate change issues. . The two leaders discussed ways to further cement the partnership and gave a strong anti-Covid -19 response.
While the UK aspires to become global Britain from Britain, Brexit on January 1 will put great pressure on London, as the European Union accounts for 47% of the UK’s total trade; 43% of UK exports and 52% of imports. With Europe poised for a tough border and incoming US President Joe Biden previously voicing his apprehensions about Brexit, the UK is facing uncertainty over trade issues.
From India’s point of view, it is necessary for New Delhi to get involved with London, as the latter is part of the P-5 and still listens to the United States in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The UK also has a strong political lobby for Mirpur in Pakistani-occupied Kashmir (PoK), which often runs its course on issues like Jammu and Kashmir.
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