British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will arrive in Ahmedabad Thursday morning to kickstart what is likely to be an eventful two-day visit to India, which could include a candid dialogue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This will be the first visit by a UK Prime Minister to Gujarat, India's fifth largest state and the ancestral home of around half of the British-Indian population in the UK.
In Ahmedabad, Johnson is expected to meet leading businesses and discuss the UK and India's thriving commercial, trade and people links.
He will then travel to New Delhi later in the evening and will be accorded a 0ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday before holding bilateral consultations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"The leaders will hold in-depth talks on the UK and India's strategic defence, diplomatic and economic partnership, aimed at bolstering our close partnership and stepping up security co-operation in the Indo-Pacific," said the UK Prime Minister's Office.
India said that besides exchanging views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, the two PMs will also review implementation of the Roadmap 2030 and set their vision for further intensifying cooperation across the full spectrum of bilateral ties.
The two countries enjoy a long and historical relationship which was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the India-UK Virtual Summit in 2021.
Reports also suggest that PM Modi is expected to have a "straightforward conversation" with Johnson on Friday on UK's long-standing association with Pakistani military and the role played by UK-based pro-Khalistan groups in funding and supporting the farmers' agitation in India last year.
"While the Indian leadership will have a candid and unvarnished discussion on the Ukraine war with Johnson, New Delhi will point out the alliance between the Pak and UK military over getting Taliban and Haqqani terrorists to seize power in Kabul and destroying human rights of minorities in that country," reported Hindustan Times on Wednesday.
"Today armed with sophisticated weapons left behind by the withdrawing coalition forces from Afghanistan, India is facing a terror threat from Pakistan with jihadists using night vision devices and M-4 assault rifles in Jammu and Kashmir," it added.
Meanwhile, just a day before the arrival of Johnson in India, the British High Commissioner in Pakistan met the country's new PM Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday.
"UK-Pakistan ties are deep. Good first meeting with PM Shehbaz today. Looking forward to working together on shared priorities for our two countries #UKPakEkSaath," tweeted Christian Turner, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan after meeting Sharif.
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