Boris Johnson meets industrialist Gautam Adani; collaboration in defence key focus of meeting

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is on a two-day India visit, on Thursday held a meeting with industrialist Gautam Adani here. The meeting took place at the Adani Group's global headquarters at Shantigram on the outskirts of Ahmedabad city.

"Honoured to host @BorisJohnson, the first UK PM to visit Gujarat, at Adani HQ. Delighted to support climate & sustainability agenda with focus on renewables, green H2 & new energy. Will also work with UK companies to co-create defence & aerospace technologies. #AtmanirbharBharat," Adani tweeted afterwards.

Sources said the two discussed, among other things, key sectors such as energy transition, climate action, aerospace and defence collaboration.

With India set to invest $300 billion by 2030 to modernize its armed forces, sources said collaboration in the defence sector was one of the key focus areas of the meeting between Adani and Johnson.

Discussions revolved around how Adani Group and British companies can collaborate to co-design and develop aerospace and defence technologies as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, sources said.

Adani also announced an academic facilitation program for young Indians through Chevening Scholarship, one of the most prestigious international scholarships offered by the UK government. He also invited the British Prime Minister to the India-UK Climate Science and Technology Summit, to be held in London on June 28.

The Adani Group Chairman had met Johnson in October last year at the Global Investment Summit in London where the two leaders had reiterated their commitment to ongoing transition to clean energy.

After the meeting on Thursday, Johnson left for Halol industrial area near Vadodara where he will visit a factory of British equipment manufacturer JCB.