Britain will supply 'next generation' weapons to India, the British High Commission said in a statement on Friday. The weapons will be offered across five spheres -- land, sea, air, space and cyber -- to better equip the country in combating new threats. This move was announced during British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's India visit.
According to an official statement, the defense and security collaboration will include British expertise offered for new Indian designed and built fighter jets. Aid for new technology so as to analyze and counter the threats in the Indian Ocean will also be offered by the British, as reported by Associated Press.
Johnson arrived in India on Thursday and is scheduled to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. A hot topic for the meeting is assumed to be the on-going Ukraine Russia conflict and its on the countries.
On his arrival in India, Johnson stated that he is mindful of the strong ties between India and Russia. "We have to reflect that reality. But clearly, I'll be talking about it to Narendra Modi," he told the reporters. At a ceremonial reception in New Delhi on Friday he said, "our relations have never been as strong or as good between us as they are now.''
While India has appealed for a peaceful settlement of disputes from both sides on the on-going war and has strongly disapproved the killings of innocents in Ukraine calling it a "very worrying" situation, the country is yet to criticize its Russian counterpart and also did not vote to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council in the UN General Assembly.
The South Asian nation imported only 2 percent of crude oil from Russia in the previous year, but the recent discounted prices have led to an increase in purchases. Other than oil the country is a major weapon buying partner of Russia, and recently bought hi-tech Russian air defense systems.
According to the statement by the British High Commission, the agenda for the meeting between Johnson and Modi is also set to include discussion on new collaboration on clean and renewable energy, with an aim to assist India's energy transition away from imported oil and the expansion of its 'resilience through secure and sustainable energy'. Along with this climate change in both Britain and India will also be addressed by the two leaders.
Johnson, talking about the meeting on Friday, said: "The world faces growing threats from autocratic states which seek to undermine democracy, choke off free and fair trade and trample on sovereignty. Our collaboration on the issues that matter to both our countries, from climate change to energy security and defense, is of vital importance as we look to the future.''
