UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be visiting India in April to boost UK opportunities in the region and to create a democratic counterweight to China, Reuters reported.
Johnson was supposed to be the chief guest at Republic Day, but due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in the UK and the spread of a new strain, he cancelled his visit.
Worth noting, relations between the United Kingdom and China have strained over issues such as Hong Kong, COVID-19 pandemic and also denying Huawei an active role in Britain's 5G network. The deployment of Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier's is also expected to raise military tensions in the South China Sea.
According to Reuters, Johnson will focus "on the UK's place in the world and the ability to seize the opportunities ahead."
Britain will also be holding two influential roles this year: hosting the first post-pandemic G7 summit in June, and the COP26 climate conference in November.
Since completing its exit from the European Union at the end of last year after an acrimonious divorce, Johnson's government has vowed the "Integrated Review" will show Britain still had clout on the world stage and define a new era for the country.
Further, the report also highlighted "the importance of UK relationship with the US" alongside the defence of democracy and human rights, and safety from terrorism as fundamental components of the British policy.
