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The Editorial Analysis- Side-Stepping Irritants

India- UK Relations- Relevance for UPSC Exam

  • GS Paper 2: International Relations- Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

UPSC Current Affairs

 

India- UK Relations in News

  • Recently, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited New Delhi, India, after two last-minute cancellations due to waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2021.
  • The British Prime Minister said that the UK is committed to more cooperation with India on trade, defence, combating climate change and cyber security.

Russia Ukraine War | Russia attacks Ukraine and India’s Diplomatic Dilemma

 

Key Outcomes of the UK Prime Minister’s Visit

  • Early harvest agreement on trade: Though it was to be concluded by this April but both leaders agreed to complete the full FTA by October-end or Deepavali.
    • This is done with a view to doubling bilateral trade by 2030.
    • Johnson sounded optimistic, with India fast-tracking its FTAs with the UAE and Australia.
  • Lifting of Indian tariffs on Scotch whisky: This concern of UK might make some headway, as India has accepted lower tariffs on Australian wine.
  • Professional Visas: The U.K. seems more flexible in increasing visas to Indian professionals.
  • Cooperation in Indo-Pacific: Both Prime Ministers discussed strengthening defence ties and cooperating strategically in the Indo-Pacific.
  • Cooperation on Climate Change: India-UK also discussed green technology transfers and international climate finance.
    • However, India is yet to commit in writing to the Nationally Determined Contributions that Mr. Modi had described at COP26 in Glasgow.
  • On Russia-Ukraine War: British PM referred to India’s long-standing relationship with Russia, expressing understanding of India’s position, in stark contrast to the visit of his Foreign Minister two weeks ago.
  • Countering Extremism: A sub-group is to be set up to study “extremism” inside India and the U.K., which Mr. Johnson suggested would be used to monitor Khalistani groups.
    • It also has a broader mandate to counter all groups and individuals “seeking to incite violent extremism and terrorism”.

Indian Antarctic Bill 2022

संपादकीय विश्लेषण- साइड-स्टेपिंग इरिटेंट्स

India-UK Relations- Way Forward

  • While side-stepping irritants in the relationship can increase the prospects for agreements, it cannot replace the actual work and elbow grease needed to give ties some momentum after years of stasis.
  • Both New Delhi and London must ensure more concerted efforts to bring those agreements to a finale in the near future, to reach their ambitious goals under “Roadmap 2030” agreed to at the last summit in 2021.

 

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