Boris Johnson says "Get it done by Divali" as India modernizes defense with British money, both nations lift tariffs on each other

[basquebromance]

Boris Johnson will offer to help India cut reliance on Russian oil and defense equipment when he begins a two-day visit this week that will test his diplomatic skills and provide brief respite from a row raging at home

 

[DudleySmith]

It's how the West is going to wean India away from being Russia's largest arms customer. They don't trust the U.S., and Britain needs export markets. It's a good plan.

 

[Kondor3]

It's how the West is going to wean India away from being Russia's largest arms customer. They don't trust the U.S., and Britain needs export markets. It's a good plan.

Yes... I have that same impression that there is some distrust between India and the US... the residue of India's former Soviet client-state status?

 

[DudleySmith]

Yes... I have that same impression that there is some distrust between India and the US... the residue of India's former Soviet client-state status?

Don't think it was quite a 'client state' thing, it;s just that after getting independence post-WW II they didn't want to be dominated by one of the Cold War factions so they played everybody else off against each other, but the Soviets offered better deals on arms as part of their ongoing 'cold war' against the Red Chinese early on and feared the economic power of the U.S. as well. They were considered 'unaligned'. They were allies against the Axis powers and are hostile to the Red Chinese, which makes them regional allies of the Russians but also willing to trade with the West. Currently they have been moving into the U.S. sphere as their border clashes with China heat up, and the Soviets move towards deals with China, creating more distrust. The Brits are a good middleman fit since many Indians are fond of British culture already.