Boris Johnson noted he would not get the same "fantastic welcome" everywhere as he met his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi for talks overshadowed by deepening jeopardy over the partygate affair. The Prime Minister was welcomed with a military ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan presidential residence in New Delhi on Friday morning after MPs in Westminster ordered an investigation into whether Mr Johnson lied to Parliament.
The Commons investigation was approved after a chaotic day in which Mr Johnson was forced to drop an attempt to delay the probe because of a rebellion among Tory colleagues. Mr Johnson will hold talks with Mr Modi on defence, fossil fuels and trade as he seeks to lessen India's ties with Vladimir Putin's Russia over his invasion of Ukraine.
The Indian leader met Mr Johnson at the presidential residence a day after a "fantastic welcome" in Gujarat, the state where Mr Modi began his path to power. Mr Johnson said he "wouldn't get that necessarily everywhere" - he paused as both men laughed - "in the world".
