UK PM Boris Johnson cancels scheduled India visit over COVID surge
According to an official statement, India and the United Kingdom will hold a virtual meeting in the coming days.
FollowNew Delhi/London: Boris Johnson, the prime minister of the United Kingdom, has cancelled his scheduled visit to India amid the massive Covid-19 surge being witnessed in the country. It was announced on Monday that the British PM will not visit India next week as planned.
In response to the media queries on the upcoming visit of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to India, an official spokesperson said, “In view of the prevailing Covid situation, it has been decided by mutual agreement that the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom will not visit India next week. The two sides will be holding a virtual meeting in the coming days to launch plans for a transformed India-UK relationship. Both leaders attach the highest importance to taking the India-UK partnership to its fullest potential and propose to remain in close touch in this regard and look forward to an in-person meeting later in the year.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was under mounting pressure to cancel his April 25 visit to India, which is battling a surge in Covid. The opposition Labour Party has questioned why Johnson cannot meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi online to discuss bilateral relations.
Downing Street had earlier confirmed a much shorter schedule for the UK Prime Minister’s visit, with the bulk of the programme including talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi set for a day-long agenda on Monday, April 26.
It’s the second time this year that the British Prime Minister’s visit to India has either been postponed or cancelled. Johnson was earlier scheduled to visit India in January to be the chief guest at the annual Republic Day parade. However, that visit was put off due to the Covid-19 surge being witnessed in the United Kingdom at that time.
