New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK PM Boris Johnson, on Friday, discussed the roadmap for bilateral relations between the two countries. The two sides also agreed to extend cooperation on business, trade and fighting the global pandemic of COVID-19.

"Had an excellent discussion with my friend, UK PM Boris Johnson on an ambitious roadmap for India-UK ties in next decade. We agreed to work towards a quantum leap in our cooperation in all areas-trade & investment, defence & security, climate change, & fighting COVID-," PM Modi said after the meet.

"Thank you, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, great to speak to you. I'm very much looking forward to deepening and strengthening the UK-India relationship in 2021 and beyond," Johnson replied.

Downing Street said that Johnson underlined that year 2021 is important for UK and India and emphasised that the UK was committed to a wider Indo-Pacific region. UK will be deploying HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier group in the region next year, thus underlining the strategic importance imparted to the region by that country. The move may be viewed on the backdrop of increasing Chinese dominance in the region. Previously, most global powers, including the US, have backed India in its stand against Chinese expansionism in the region. 

"The Prime Minister (Johnson) and Prime Minister Modi discussed joint efforts to find treatments and vaccines for coronavirus and welcomed the collaboration between our countries' leading scientists. They looked forward to next month's Climate Ambition Summit, which will be an opportunity to reinvigorate the global efforts against climate change ahead of the UK-hosted COP26 Summit next year," Downing Street spokesperson said, news agency PTI quoted.

The two sides also agreed to join hands on the fight against climate change and collaborate further under platforms such as the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, India's PMO said in a statement.