DC EDIT | Under fire at home, Boris goes all out to woo India

Being in the eye of a storm while ignoring the crosswinds is something of a Boris Johnson specialty these days. There were reasons for India to feel pleased too as Mr Johnson’s proposals offering to wean it away from over-dependence on Russian military hardware seem to make sense when Russian arms are not exactly overperforming on Ukrainian battlefields. Mr Johnson’s body language seemed to suggest that the UK needs India more at the moment than the opposite though there is no convergence on the national stand on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, of which Mr Johnson is Europe’s fiercest critic. The easing of procedures to buy defence equipment through an India-specific Open General Export Licence to be rolled out by 10 Downing Street is a welcome sign of awareness on both sides of the changing geopolitics post-Ukraine war and an opportunity for India to look at Britain and others for its fighter jets, helicopters and other military equipment, besides crypto battle abilities, that may be in need of modernisation from ageing Russia technology. Amid the positivity hang such questions as to whether India will ease tariffs that protect its home industry to make any big difference to the quantum of trade and if Boris Johnson’s position when he is back home will allow him to convert optimistic words into action.