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British PM Boris Johnson has reduced the length of his trip to India later this month because of the COVID-19 situation in the country, his spokesman said. However, during the visit, slated to take place towards April end, Johnson would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, news agency Reuters said. Further details of the visit, such as the revised duration of the trip, schedule and other details are expected to be disclosed soon.
As reported earlier, Johnson is slated to visit India in the last week of April. Earlier, he was expected to be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade this year. However, the visit was postponed in light of the COVID-19 situation in that country and the growing concerns over the UK-variant of COVID-19.
It was earlier expected that Johnson’s visit would last four to five days and include stopovers in New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru and Chennai. This is the second time a planned visit to India by Johnson has been hit by the Covid-19 crisis.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s visit to India this month will be shorter than the originally planned trip of four to five days and won’t include stopovers in Mumbai and Pune because of the Covid-19 situation, people familiar with developments said on Wednesday.
Johnson is expected to begin the visit on April 26 and the itinerary will only include stopovers in cities such as New Delhi and Bengaluru that are linked to key meetings or important announcements and signing of memorandums of understanding (MoUs), the people said on condition of anonymity.
Though both countries have confirmed Johnson’s visit in April, neither side has formally announced the dates or his itinerary. The visit has been described as part of the UK government’s tilt towards the Indo-Pacific under a comprehensive revamp of foreign and security policies in order to unlock new opportunities across the region.
“The trip will be shorter and more business-oriented and involve fewer cities. The cities in the itinerary will be linked to key meetings and announcements and MoUs,” said one of the people cited above.
UK PM’s visit in January was cancelled due to the concerns over UK variant of COVID-19 “Coronavirus is doubtless the most destructive force we have seen for generations and the greatest test of the modern world order we have experienced. It is only right that we approach the challenge of building back better by uniting with a spirit of openness to create a better future,” a release citing the UK PM had then said.
As reported earlier by Times Now, defence and security pacts, China, COVID-19 are among major issues that are likely to be discussed during Johnson’s now-curtailed visit.
“It is very exciting that he is coming. He was planning to come in January, but the Covid situation in the UK put paid to that, but he is very keen to come and we are really looking forward to what we hope will be a very significant marking of a new kind of relationship,” Alex Ellis, the British High commissioner to New Delhi had said last month while elaborating upon Johnson’s visit. This is also the UK PM’s first major visit after Britain’s exit from the European Union.
