What Boris Johnson is actually doing in India
Johnson has headed to India to meet, again, fellow far right politician Modi. Modi is a far more serious (and deadly) politician than Johnson but I doubt that will get a mention. Nor I suspect will Modi’s reluctance to back the NATO view on Ukraine be too much discussed (tho Johnson will no doubt say it was).
One key reason for Johnson’s visit (Financial Times 19th April) is to get Modi to lift tariffs on the import of Scottish whisky. India is the biggest whisky market in the world but most is produced in the sub-continent (the little that finds its way to the UK is very drinkable..)
The FT reports that if Johnson can get Modi to drop tariffs Chivas(for example) plans to double exports. There is a 150% tariff on Scotch whisky currently but even so India is the second largest Scotch export market.
Chivas is owned by Ricard the French maker of Pernod so any deal will be good news for Macron too, tho don’t expect Johnson to mention that or the Tories what he is actually doing in India.
The FT also reports that a number of Indian States are teetotal. The whisky trade is aimed at a section of the Indian middle class. One doubts any of that has crossed Johnson’s mind.
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