India cancels UK delegation visit after trying to push it towards anti-Russian stance

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The visit of a high-ranking UK delegation to India, led by House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle and comprised of representatives of several political parties, was called off at the last minute by Indian authorities, according to The Guardian on Thursday.

Ten senior British officials had been in talks with India since January and planned to visit New Delhi and Rajasthan. The delegation's intended mission was apparently to explore a UK-India free trade agreement, but that intention changed in the backdrop of Russia's military operation in Ukraine. According to The Guardian, the delegates planned to encourage New Delhi to take a harder stance toward Moscow.

According to reports, the Indian High Commission altered its mind and voiced concerns at the last minute. According to The Guardian, it is unclear if the Indian authorities had concerns with individual members of the group or were concerned about the British Parliament members who attempted to encourage the Indian prime minister to take action against Russia.

On Tuesday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke by phone with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two discussed Ukraine's predicament, with Modi calling for a halt to hostilities and respect for Ukraine's sovereignty. Modi notified Johnson of India's humanitarian assistance, while Johnson stated that both nations “should intensify efforts to promote peace and de-escalation in the region.” 

Read more: Japan PM press Modi for Indian 'action' on Ukraine

So yet, India has neither imposed sanctions or condemned Moscow for its military intervention in Ukraine, and it continues to import Russian oil despite international pressure. India has been hesitant to sever connections with Russia and is now considering procedures for switching to ruble-rupee trading.

Last week, UK authorities voiced dissatisfaction with India's neutral stance toward Russia but expressed confidence that its views would change since the country remains an important commercial partner for the UK.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited India on Thursday for discussions with External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.  The meetings are centered around the Ukraine crisis and other regional issues.