UK, India to step up defense and trade ties

NEW DELHI－The United Kingdom and India agreed on Friday to step up defense and business cooperation during a visit to New Delhi by Boris Johnson, who said a bilateral free-trade deal could be wrapped up by October.

On his first visit to the Indian capital as UK prime minister, Johnson discussed with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi ways to boost security ties with India, as the West tries to lure India away from Russia.

"We have agreed a new and expanded defense and security partnership," Johnson told a joint news briefing with Modi on the final day of his two-day trip.

Johnson said negotiators from the two countries were expected to complete a free-trade deal by the end of this year.

"We're telling our negotiators to get it done by Diwali in October. This could double our trade and investments by the end of the decade," he said.

The effort follows an attempt last month by the United States to move India away from Russia, with its own offer of more defense and energy sales, after US President Joe Biden called India "somewhat shaky" in following the West's suit to act against Russia.

Britain hopes its offer of closer security ties with the West will encourage India to cut its defense reliance on Russia. However, New Delhi has a long history of cooperation with Moscow, still its biggest military supplier, and has not imposed sanctions on Moscow, taking a stance that sparked off a recent flurry of diplomatic activity.

Johnson is making the trip as he comes under increasing pressure from British lawmakers, who on Thursday ordered a parliamentary investigation into the prime minister for allegedly lying about whether he broke COVID-19 restrictions by attending illegal gatherings during the pandemic.

The move, approved by cries of "aye" and without a formal vote in the House of Commons, means Parliament's Committee of Privileges will investigate whether Johnson knowingly misled Parliament－historically a resigning offense if proven.

Leadership rocked

The probe piles more pressure on a Conservative prime minister whose grip on power has been shaken by claims he flouted the pandemic rules he imposed on the country, then repeatedly failed to own up to it.

Johnson was not present for the decision on a scandal that has rocked his leadership of the country and the Conservative Party. With his Indian visit, Johnson insists he wants to "get on with the job" of leading the country.

Johnson was fined 50 pounds ($66) by police last week for attending his own birthday party in his office in June 2020.

Agencies Via Xinhua