Boris dials PM, says will visit once Covid over

New Delhi, January 5

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has cancelled his India visit that included being the chief guest at the Republic Day parade in order to oversee the pandemic response at home, said an announcement from Downing Street.

Johnson also called up PM Narendra Modi to regret his inability to attend the event in view of complete lockdown in his country and reiterated his keenness to visit India in the near future, according to an official news release here.

PM Modi expressed his understanding of the exceptional situation in the UK and conveyed his best wishes for quick control of the pandemic. He looked forward to receiving Johnson in India at the earliest opportunity after normalisation of the situation, added the news release.

US President Donald Trump had declined PM Modi’s invite to be the chief guest at the 2019 Republic Day celebrations, but made up for it by attending the “Namaste Trump” rally in Ahmedabad.

However, Trump had conveyed his regrets nearly three months in advance, giving South Block enough time to invite South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. — TNS