Amid Covid second wave, Boris Johnson’s India visit put off, to hold virtual meeting with PM Modi

As the second surge of the Covid-19 continues to peak, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s visit to India has been put off, the Ministry of External Affairs Monday said. Johnson was scheduled to come to India on April 25-26.

Announcing this, MEA official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi 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.”

He 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,” the MEA spokesperson said.

Last month, the British PM’s office had announced that Johnson will travel to India at the end of April in what would be his first major overseas visit following Brexit.

This is the second time Johnson has had to cancel his India trip this year.

Earlier, the British PM was forced to cancel his trip as the chief guest of the Republic Day celebrations in January this year following a surge in Covid-19 cases in the UK, and had then promised to visit India before the G-7 summit in June. He has also invited PM Narendra Modi for the G-7 summit in the UK.