Boris Johnson ‘is set for India trip next month’ as he tries to kickstart trade drive ahead of COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow in November

• Prime Minister Boris Johnson said to be considering a trip to India next month
• Mr Johnson is reportedly ‘keen to travel’ to start trade drive ahead of COP26
• PM was due to visit India earlier this year but trip did not go ahead due to Covid

Boris Johnson is planning a visit to India next month to kickstart a trade drive before the COP26 climate change summit in November, it was claimed today. 

The Prime Minister is reportedly targeting a visit to New Delhi ahead of world leaders meeting in Glasgow. 

The PM had been due to visit India earlier this year but his plans were cancelled because of the coronavirus crisis. 

The Prime Minister is reportedly targeting a visit to New Delhi ahead of world leaders meeting in Glasgow

A Government official told Politico: ‘He is keen to travel, hear different perspectives and see how countries can be helped to raise their ambition for COP.’

Mr Johnson was scheduled to meet with Narendra Modi, the Indian Prime Minister, for talks back in January. 

But that visit was put on ice because of a winter spike in Covid-19 infections in the UK as the PM imposed the second national lockdown. 

The trip was then rescheduled for April but the coronavirus crisis again wreaked havoc with Mr Johnson’s plans.

The PM was due to undertake a four day trip but Downing Street opted to reduce the length of the visit to just one day as coronavirus cases in India surged.      

However, Number 10 then decided to completely cancel the visit as the Government added India to the travel ‘red list’. 

Mr Johnson said at the time that he and Mr Modi had ‘basically come to the conclusion that, very sadly, I won’t be able to go ahead with the trip’. 

The PM said that the relationship between the UK and India is of ‘huge importance’, with the pair speaking virtually. 

They committed to meeting in person ‘when circumstances allow, and hopefully before the COP summit in November’.    

Mr Johnson was scheduled to meet with Narendra Modi, the Indian Prime Minister, for talks back in January

Mr Johnson would have a fairly narrow window for arranging a visit to India next month, with the PM’s diary already looking busy. 

He will host the annual Conservative Party conference in Manchester from October 3-6.

The Government will then be preparing ahead of the Autumn Budget on October 27. 

The COP26 climate summit is then scheduled to get underway from October 31 to November 12.  

Source: Read Full Article