Boris Johnson looks forward to building relationship with PM Modi

London : Relations between India and the United Kingdom will be refreshed if Boris Johnson, who takes over as a Prime Minister of UK, delivers on his promise to build a relationship with PM Narendra Modi.

His first foreign visit as prime minister outside Europe may well be to India, a senior functionary at the Foreign Office said, adding that the issue of Britain apologising for the 1919 Jallianwalla Bagh massacre remains a “work in progress”.

“If it (the apology) happens, the right place for it to be tendered is Amritsar during a visit by the prime minister”, he said.

Outgoing Prime minister Theresa May had expressed deep regret in April, and an apology by Boris will set the tones for UK's post-brexit trade plans with India.

Known for his love of Indian food, ‘bhangra’ and visits to India over the decades, Johnson has often spoken about Britain’s historic and contemporary links with India.

“As Foreign Secretary, I visited India and have a personal relationship with Prime Minister Modi and members of his administration…I will work closely with our friends in the Indian Government, business and society to deliver a truly special UK-India relationship,” he wrote.

He described his vision of the UK-India relations to journalists at an event to mark the 70th anniversary of the Indian Journalists Association: “An incredible synchresis of ideas, people, goods and services, an ecstasy of cross-pollination and cross-fertilisation that is represented at so many levels, including cricket, tea, the ‘bhangra’ beat, chicken tikka masala, but also the glorious and ever-changing language of English”.