IPA Newspack
  • Home
  • now
  • politics
  • business
  • markets

IPA /

IPA Special

IPA Special

Johnson’s Upcoming India Visit In The Shadow Of Putin’s War

By Sushil Kutty

With the first name ‘Boris’, he should have been a friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin. But this ‘Boris’ would rather be addressed as ‘Johnson’ as he travels to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. And, hopefully, the two will get along although Putin’s shadow will loom over Modi as Boris goes about doing to Modi what US President Joe Biden attempted and failed.

Modi, it is turning out, is a leech for remaining aloof. And as long as it is foreign relations, he can get away with the excuse that it’s got to do with “India’s national interests.” Which Indian will dispute that? No Indian political party will raise a finger. And talking of Modi, he seems to have convinced Johnson to start his India visit from Gujarat.

The last time a foreign head of state started from Gujarat, Covid-19 reared its head and the pandemic waged war on India, and cast Modi in the darkest of colours. Then it was President Donald Trump and Modi lost his head in the company of “Abki Baar, Trump Sarkar”. Boris Johnson shouldn’t fail to miss the symbolism. Calls for Johnson’s resignation are resonating back home in the UK.

Boris Johnson during his visit will try bringing up the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but will that cut ice with Modi? Will the Indian Prime Minister’s heart melt at the plight of the hapless Ukrainians when it does not beat for Indians who often find themselves in similar neglect under Modi’s reign?

The British Prime Minister may have some idea of the timing of his visit. According to Reuters, Johnson will try to leave his “domestic problems” in London when he sets out on his India trip with the ostensible reason to “strengthen links” between India and the UK.

The real reason will be to drum sense into India and Modi on the Ukraine crisis. Of course, it would be foolish to expect anything positive to come out of the Boris-Narendra dialogue as far as Ukraine goes. Modi will not yield to persistent pressure. If he bows to Boris, opinion in India will lynch and bury him in 2024.

Johnson, of course, will wish he could take back home something to show for his brilliance. The tousle-headed Prime Minister, whose marriage has been the only highlight of his #primeministership thus far, will leave his woes at home, when he boards the flight to India.

But calls for his resignation for breaking his own COVID-19 lockdown rules will shadow him to India. Who cannot remain Prime Minister is much more volatile in the UK than it can ever be in India with an Indian Prime Minister. Johnson said he would “set the record straight” on his Covod-19 misdemeanor. He has been on record that 10 Downing Street will follow all Covid-19 guidelines.

Johnson says he will use his trip to India to discuss with Modi the “strategic defence, diplomatic and economic partnership” the UK and India share. Top of the agenda will be a free trade pact, post Britain’s exit from Brexit. Such a trade deal would take Britain’s trade up to $36.5 billion by 2035.

Boris would consider an FTA with India a major trophy. But getting India to castigate and cast aspersions on Russia and Putin will be cherished more. The West would like it best if India stops engaging with Russia. Condemning Putin will bring to Modi lots of ‘xo xo’, which is American slang for “hugs and kisses.”

And the ‘xo xo’ will peak if India helps dig a hole to inter Putin in, bury him deep. India going slow on arms imports from Russia will be the icing on the cake. The S-400s are a particularly sore point with the Biden administration, which would rather India behave like a satellite.

As for Britain, the UK still thinks India and Indians are the White Man’s burden and therefore can be cajoled and coaxed to “listen to reason” for India’s own sake. Biden tried pushing Modi to stop buying more oil from Russia, but had no answer when questioned about European countries’ fetish for buying Russian oil.

Earlier, quite early in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, when tens of thousands of Indian students were still stuck in Ukraine, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Britain’s trade minister, couldn’t stomach India’s refusal to toe Britain’s line on Russia. Johnson will try to undo that setback with zero chances of success.

There are other geo-political issues that the UK will find India agreeing to. Like, for example, Britain’s newfound return to the Indo-Pacific after opting to avoid the tensions and conflicts that are peculiar to the region, especially now when there is likelihood that China might try to do a Russia on Taiwan. The Quad wouldn’t mind a loose affiliation with the UK, especially India with China sitting on its head.

Johnson says India is a valued strategic partner, especially when “we face threats to our peace and prosperity from autocratic states”. India is expected to stick with the “democracies and friends.” The only problem is that while the UK and the US are “democracies”, Russia happens to be a “friend!” (IPA Service)

IPA Special

In The Wake Of War In Ukraine, Wheat Is Now A Strategic Commodity

May 18, 2022
IPA Special

The Economist Of London Goes Gaga With Indian Growth Story

May 18, 2022
IPA Special

Turkey’s Erdogan Plays Games Within And With NATO

May 18, 2022
IPA Special

Arrest Of A Big Bangladeshi Financial Scamstar In Bengal Creates A Row

May 18, 2022
IPA Special

Chandrutt Mishra, World’s Foremost Leopard Expert Is A Change Maker

May 18, 2022
IPA Special

Can Hindu Marriage Act Allow Same Sex Marriage In India?

May 18, 2022
Politics

Hardik Patel finally quits Cong, may be headed for BJP

May 18, 2022
Happening Now

Protesting Punjab farmers serve ultimatum to Mann govt

May 18, 2022
Politics

CBI arrests close associate of Chidambaram’s son

May 18, 2022
Happening Now

China jet crash sabotage, suggests Black Box data

May 18, 2022
Business

Export curbs relaxed for outbound wheat consignments

May 18, 2022
IPA Special

Rahul Gandhi Has Damaged The Cause Of Opposition Unity With Udaipur Statement

May 17, 2022
IPA Special

Centre On Backfoot After Unsuccessful Privatisation

May 17, 2022
IPA Special

Central BJP Leaders Are Depending On Yogi Adityanath For Next Lok Sabha Win

May 17, 2022
IPA Special

Regional Parties Are Jittery At Rahul Gandhi’s Dig To Them On Ideology

May 17, 2022
IPA Special

‘Gyanvapi’ Aurangzeb Alamgir Refuses To Rest In Peace

May 17, 2022
IPA Special

Centre Cherry-Picking Names Recommended For High Court Judges

May 17, 2022
Politics

RJD terms Rahul’s comments on regional parties ‘bizarre’

May 17, 2022
Happening Now

CBI searches Chidambaram’s premises linked to son

May 17, 2022
Happening Now

Mehbooba says ‘The Kashmir Files’ behind violence

May 17, 2022

An appeal

The legacy of IPA, founded by Nikhil Chakravartty, the doyen of journalism in India, to keep the flag of independent media flying high, is facing the threat of extinction due to the effect of the Covid pandemic. Only an emergency funding can avert such an eventuality. We appeal to all those who believe in the freedom of expression to contribute to this noble cause.
Click here to learn more

Share

Reply

  • 0
More on IPA

In The Wake Of War In Ukraine, Wheat Is Now A Strategic Commodity

May 18, 2022 3:19 pm | IPA Staff

By Arun Kumar Shrivastav In what appeared to be a sudden move, the Indian government prohibited the export of wheat on May 13. This appeared...

IPA Special

The Economist Of London Goes Gaga With Indian Growth Story

May 18, 2022 3:16 pm | IPA Staff

By Anjan Roy The Economist newspaper of London, highly respected worldwide for its expertise and views on the global economy and issues, has predicted India...

IPA Special

Turkey’s Erdogan Plays Games Within And With NATO

May 18, 2022 3:13 pm | IPA Staff

James M Dorsey Amid speculation about a reduced US military commitment to security in the Middle East, Turkey has spotlighted the region’s ability to act...

IPA Special

Arrest Of A Big Bangladeshi Financial Scamstar In Bengal Creates A Row

May 18, 2022 3:11 pm | IPA Staff

By Ashis Biswas Nothing has engaged the capabilities of police forces in India (West Bengal) and Bangladesh in recent times more the arrest of international...

IPA Special

In The Wake Of War In Ukraine, Wheat Is Now A Strategic Commodity

in IPA Special
May 18, 2022   ·  

The Economist Of London Goes Gaga With Indian Growth Story

in IPA Special
May 18, 2022   ·  

Turkey’s Erdogan Plays Games Within And With NATO

in IPA Special
May 18, 2022   ·  
Follow us on
Up Next: Resurgence Of Covid-19 Triggers Many Concerns
©2020 -2021 India Press Agency, All Rights Reserved
Newspack by India Press Agency
Posting....
logo
  • Home
  • now
  • politics
  • business
  • markets