New Delhi (NVI): United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson today cancelled his trip to India, scheduled to start on April 26, in view of covid surge in the country, Ministry of External Affairs 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,” Official spokesperson said.
According to the ministry, 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 spokesperson said.
Recently, Johnson had reduced the length of his visit to India due to COVID-19 situation in the country.
The UK PM was earlier scheduled to visit the country in January, as the Chief Guest of the January 26 Republic Day celebrations.
Boris has also been facing criticism for planning his trip to India as the opposition Labour Party has questioned why Johnson cannot meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi online to discuss bilateral relations.
“The Government is telling people don’t travel if you don’t have to absolutely travel and I can’t see why the Prime Minister can’t conduct his business with the Indian government by Zoom. So many of us do that these days and I think the Prime Minister, all of us in public life, need to try and set an example so I’d much rather the Prime Minister did it by Zoom than by travelling to India,” Labour Party’s Shadow Communities Secretary Steve Reed was quoted saying in a report.
–PRT
