British PM Boris Johnson cancels India visit
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has cancelled his India visit due to worsening Covi-19 situation in the country, the Downing Street said on Monday afternoon.
Downing Street had earlier said that Johnson has curtailed the duration of his 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.
Johnson was earlier slated to spend a few days in India starting April 26 as part of a planned itinerary, which was expected to include finalising a UK-India Enhanced Trade Partnership. However, with the pandemic crisis in India taking a turn for the worse, the itinerary was reworked.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that Boris Johnson will not visit India next week in view of the coronavirus pandemic. MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the decision was taken as per mutual agreement by both sides.
"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," he said.
Bagchi said 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," he said.
Earlier this year, Johnson cancelled a visit to India in view of surge in coronavirus cases in the UK.
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