UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has cancelled his planned visit to India later this month. He was scheduled to attend Republic Day parade in New Delhi as the chief guest on January 26.
In a statement, UK foreign office said that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had to cancel his India visit in view of the escalation of the Covid-19 crisis in the United Kingdom because of the new variant of the coronavirus. On Monday night, Boris Johnson had announced that the United Kingdom will go in full lockdown from Tuesday amidst the rise in COVID-19 cases.
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“The Prime Minister spoke to Prime Minister Modi this morning, to express his regret that he will be unable to visit India later this month as planned. In light of the national lockdown announced last night, and the speed at which the new coronavirus variant is spreading, the Prime Minister said that it was important for him to remain in the UK so he can focus on the domestic response to the virus,” a press statement from 10 Downing Street said.
However, Boris Johnson's office has said that the UK Prime Minister hopes to visit India in the first half of 2021.
"The Prime Minister said that he hopes to be able to visit India in the first half of 2021, and ahead of the UK's G7 Summit that Prime Minister Modi is due to attend as a guest," his office said.
