India is already the second largest foreign investor in the United Kingdom, after the United States and ahead of EU countries such as Germany and France, with 120 active projects according the British Department of International Trade. So it should come as no surprise that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s first overseas trip after his country left the European Union on January 31st is to the former “jewel in British crown,” its estwhile colony, India.
Two reasons are cited by 10 Downing Street for the proposed April 26 visit.
- Britain’s freshly published “integrated review of security, defense, development and foreign policy” includes a tilt toward the Asia-Pacific. (The Quad – USA, Australia, Japan and India are already aligned and pursuing a free and open Indo-Pacific and Britain is not part of this).
- The other reason given to the British Parliament was to “unlock new opportunities in the region.” We expect that Johnson hopes to sign the proposed India-UK Enhanced Trade Partnership as a precursor to a future free trade agreement. In fact, Lord Tariq Ahmad, the Minister for South Asia in the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office visited India recently to further this cause.
Johnson may visit Chennai in addition to New Delhi.
Why this matters
It is clear that in 2021, the West sees India as a key business, strategic and defense partner.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
