PM Modi receives UK PM Boris Johnson at Rashtrapati Bhavan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes his United Kingdom counterpart Boris Johnson during a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi. Pic/PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday received UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson with a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi. The UK Prime Minister, who is on a two-day visit to India, was accorded a Guard of Honour upon his arrival at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

"It is a very auspicious moment in India-UK friendship and two democracies, largest and one of the oldest. I do not think things have ever been so strong and good between India and UK as they are now," Johnson said. Johnson arrived in Gujarat on Thursday at the start of his visit to India to hold in-depth talks on the UK and India's strategic defence, diplomatic and economic partnership, aimed at bolstering close partnership and stepping up security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

"They (People of Gujarat) put on a fantastic welcome for us. It was absolutely extraordinary. I have never seen such a joyful reception.""I would have not gotten the same reception anywhere else in the world. It was amazing to see your (PM Modi's) home state for the first time," Johnson said. The British PM earlier today laid a wreath at Raj Ghat and paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar received Johnson at the airport here late Thursday. The UK Prime Minister is scheduled to hold talks with External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar after which the two sides will issue a press statement at around 1 pm at Hyderabad House.

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