Let’s deepen ties in 2021: Boris Johnson tells Narendra Modi
A Downing Street spokesperson said the two prime ministers discussed joint efforts to find treatment and vaccines for Covid-19, and welcomed the collaboration between the two countries’ leading scientists
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday and pushed for 2021 to be a year to deepen and strengthen the India-UK relationship in various sectors, particularly in trade, climate crisis, defence security and health.
A Downing Street spokesperson said the two prime ministers discussed joint efforts to find treatment and vaccines for Covid-19, and welcomed the collaboration between the two countries’ leading scientists.
“They looked forward to next month’s Climate Ambition Summit, which will be an opportunity to reinvigorate the global efforts against climate change ahead of the UK-hosted COP26 Summit next year,” the spokesperson said.
The UK will be out of the European Union from January 1, 2021, when it hopes to forge new relationships and strengthen existing ones across the globe, particularly a free trade agreement with India.
“The prime minister stressed the importance of improving bilateral trade and investment flows. Both leaders welcomed the extensive work that has taken place on this to date and shared an ambition for deepening the economic relationship,” the spokesperson said.
According to a readout of the interaction, Johnson “re-emphasised the UK’s commitment” to the wider Indo-Pacific region and looked forward to the first deployment of the HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier group to the region next year.
An integrated review of the UK’s foreign policy with a focus on the Indo-Pacific is expected to be released in early 2021.
