British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has acknowledged that India is not going to change its position on the Russia-Ukraine conflict but indicated that this situation has increased the Indian appetite to do more with the UK, particularly in the realm of security and defence.
The visiting Prime Minister was asked at a media conference on Friday why he had not exerted pressure on India, as other western countries have, to change its stated position on the Ukraine conflict and condemn Russia.
Johnson said: “You have to recognise that Indians have actually — Narendra Modi in particular — have come out very strongly about what’s happened in Bucha. Talking to Prime Minister Modi today, it’s clear that he has already intervened several times.… Indians want peace and they want the Russians out…. India has a historic relationship with Russia that goes back decades.…”
Without naming Russia, India had condemned the civilian killings in Bucha and called for an independent investigation.
Johnson’s media conference on Friday was organised by the British high commission after the bilateral engagement.
“Britain and India have been encouraged/obliged by the pressure of autocratic coercion -- whether it’s in Russia or China or wherever -- to do more together and that is offering up a huge, huge joint agenda,” he said.
On whether he had raised the issue of human rights violations and democratic backsliding in India on the Modi government’s watch, Johnson again steered clear of any public comment.
“On how we deal with the question of human rights and democratic values, of course we have these conversations but the advantage of our friendship is that we can have these conversations in a friendly and private way. India has constitutional protections; India is a very, very different country from autocracies around the world. It is a great, great democracy,” he said.
Earlier, Indian foreign secretary Harsh V. Shringla, while briefing the media on the bilateral engagement, had said that the UK had not put any pressure on India relating to Russia.
Other visitors from western capitals have over the past month publicly made it clear that they want India to choose their side in the conflict. The US had warned New Delhi of consequences if it increased energy purchases from Russia. Ahead of Johnson’s visit, however, his office had made it clear that he would not be lecturing India on what to do.
While the two Premiers have instructed their negotiators to finalise the free trade agreement by Diwali this year, Modi was appreciative of London’s “support for Atmanirbhar Bharat in all sectors of manufacturing, technology, design and development in the defence sector”.
Shringla said both sides felt that defence and security are important areas of potential cooperation, and had decided to lay greater emphasis on production in India and transfer of technology to meet not only India’s needs but also the global demand.
“The UK’s announcement of providing open general licence for export of technologies and equipment to India has been a welcome development.… Both sides have agreed to facilitate meetings between scientists concerned. The focus is on co-development and co-production in line with the Make in India initiative and Atmanirbhar Bharat policy,” Shringla said.
While India broached the issue of economic offenders like Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya still using the British system to evade Indian law, Johnson said he had raised “tough consular questions” but did not elaborate.
Nor did British government officials elaborate on what he had meant but speculation has it that this could involve AgustaWestland middleman Christian Michel, who had last year written to the British Prime Minister seeking the UK government’s intervention as his trial was getting delayed.
India flagged the alleged activities of the Khalistani movement in the UK. Asked how the British government planned to address this particular Indian concern, Johnson said: “What we have done in particular as a result of this visit is set up an anti-extremist task force to see what we can do to help India in that particular respect.”