Amid mounting pressure on UK PM to cancel his India visit on April 25, 10 Downing Street has confirmed that Boris Johnson will not be visiting New Delhi after all. The second wave of COVID-19 in India is the reason for canceling Johnson's visit to India. Instead, a virtual meeting will take place in the days to come, wherein leaders of both countries will launch plans for a transformed India-UK relationship.
"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 visual meeting in the coming days to launch plans for a transformed India-UK relationship. Both leaders attach the highest importance of 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," MEA India said in an official statement.
Johnson's visit to India plans
Last week, Johnson had decided to cut short his trip to New Delhi due to the prevailing COVID situation in the country. But the opposition's mounting pressure on the PM to cancel the visit and hold a virtual meeting grew stronger in recent days.
The visit, which was due on April 26, is significant for the UK as it is eyeing a new bilateral trade deal with India, following its exit from the European Union. Johnson had earlier indicated that apart from New Delhi, he wanted to visit Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru and Chennai.
India is the second-largest investor in the UK, after the US. Post-Brexit, the UK is focused on the Indo-Pacific region for its economy and security.
