UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to visit India in April

 A British aircraft, Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier, will be deployed to the region ahead of PM Boris Johnson's visit to India.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to visit India in April to boost UK's opportunities and counter China's influence in the Indo-Pacific region. 

The British Government also highlighted that a British aircraft will be deployed to the region ahead of PM Boris Johnson's visit to India. The government called the Indo-Pacific region increasingly the geopolitical centre of the world. 

Key Details

•The British Prime Minister was initially supposed to visit India in January to be the chief guest at India's Republic Day Celebrations on January 26, 2021. However, Johnson had cancelled his visit due to a major spike in the COVID-19 cases in the United Kingdom. 

•He will now visit India in April to strengthen India-UK relations and counter China. Johnson reportedly aims to increase focus on UK's place in the world and the ability to seize the opportunities ahead.

•The relations between the UK and China have strained due to issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic, controversial Hong Kong national security law and denying China's Huawei an active role in Britain's 5G network.

•The deployment of British aircraft- Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier-is expected to further raise military tensions in the South China Sea.

UK Government Foreign Policy Priorities

•The UK government will be laying the country's post-Brexit defence and foreign policy priorities on March 16 with an objective to expand its influence in the Indo-Pacific region while preserving its strong relations with the United States. 

•A statement previewing the report listed the importance of the UK's relationship with the US alongside the defence of democracy and human rights and safety from terrorism as fundamental components of the British policy.

•Britain seeks to establish a trade deal with the United States and reassurance over where it is placed in US President Joe Biden's international priorities. 

Background 

Britain will be holding two influential roles this year including hosting the first post-pandemic G7 summit in June 2021 and the COP26 climate conference in November.

Boris Johnson's government has vowed to define a new era for the country post its exit from the European Union last year. An integrated review will be conducted, which will show that Britain still has an influence on the world stage. 

The 100-page review document will be closely scrutinised for concrete measures showing how the government will deliver at a time when the country is struggling to come to terms with the realities of Brexit and the large number of fatalities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.