Forum Address on Global Crises
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressed a range of international challenges at The Economic Times World Leaders Forum, focusing on the Iran conflict, the protracted war in Ukraine, and the value of deeper ties among India, the United States and the United Kingdom. Both The Economic Times and The Times of India reported his remarks, which blended policy recommendations with personal anecdotes and historical reflections.
Johnson positioned India as a pivotal partner capable of helping navigate current tensions. He described the country as going through a very good period under strong and stable leadership and called the Indian story today a really wonderful story, predicting an incredible future because it is a democracy and a free country. He also noted that India-UK free trade agreement negotiations began during his time as prime minister and hailed the agreement, while crediting Brexit with positive effects on bilateral trade.
Iran Conflict and the Strait of Hormuz
A central theme was the need for coordinated action on Iran. As reported by The Times of India, Johnson urged India, the US and Britain to work together on ending the Iran conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. He called Washington's war a mistake and said it was totally deranged to believe regime change in Iran could be achieved through air strikes. Iran must be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons and sponsoring terrorism, he argued, but change had to come from within. We've got to find a deal with Iran, he stated, adding that countries should collaborate to lower oil prices and get ships moving again.
The Economic Times reported Johnson's view that Britain could have played a stronger role in preventing the United States from walking into an obvious, obvious trap. He suggested British intelligence should have warned the US government about the risks of the conflict and the potential closure of the Hormuz Strait, and that the UK should have questioned US President Donald Trump, his planners and the Pentagon about the war's objectives before it escalated. The Times of India similarly noted his criticism that the US walked into an obvious trap by not consulting Britain beforehand.
Despite these critiques, Johnson described America as the world's hegemonic power and said he preferred Washington retaining that role over China. Allies, he added, must help the US back out of the cul-de-sac. He characterised Trump as consultative and open to advice from friends, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Russia, Ukraine and India's Position
Johnson also turned to the Russia-Ukraine war, acknowledging India's particular position and historical closeness to Russia while insisting the conflict would not end without greater pressure on Moscow. The Economic Times detailed a recollection he shared of a conversation with Queen Elizabeth II shortly before her death. I was once saying to her late majesty the Queen of England how difficult it was to persuade our Indian friends to firmly come down against Russia, Johnson said. She replied that in 1952, when speaking with Prime Minister Nehru, he had told her that India will always basically be on the side of Russia. Some things never change. They just are, Johnson observed, adding that he was struck by the analysis and that one has to go with the historical reality.
According to The Times of India, he told his Indian audience not to believe propaganda that Putin was in a position to win, insisting the Russian leader was fated to lose against Ukrainians' desire for freedom. Only Putin, not Trump or Zelenskyy, could end the war, he said. Johnson backed concrete steps including giving Ukraine Tomahawks, transferring 140 billion dollars of Putin's cash held in Brussels, and stopping trade in sanctioned Russian oil. He called for deeper India-UK and India-US military cooperation, describing it as much more sensible.
Personal Reflections and Bilateral Ties
Beyond geopolitics, Johnson highlighted practical cooperation. He credited India with a key role in Britain's Covid-19 vaccination drive and noted that he personally received the Indian version of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The Economic Times also recorded lighter moments in which he discussed humour as a defence and a way of engaging, recited Latin poetry from The Aeneid and Homer's The Iliad, and mentioned that while he does not follow football much, George Best was a childhood hero.
Throughout the address, Johnson framed closer trilateral coordination among India, the US and the UK as essential both for extricating the United States from its current difficulties over Iran and for applying sustained pressure that could help resolve the war in Ukraine. His comments, carried by The Economic Times and The Times of India, underscored a consistent preference for American leadership alongside recognition of India's independent historical relationships and growing global weight.