British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has cancelled his planned visit to India next week due to the coronavirus situation in the country, Downing Street said on Monday.
Johnson, who admitted it was “frustrating” but “only sensible” to call off the visit, will instead speak to Prime Minister NarendraModi later this month to launch their plans for the future UK-India partnership, with their physical meeting expected later in the year.
“NarendraModi and I have basically come to the conclusion that, very sadly, I won’t be able to go ahead with the trip,” Johnson told reporters, during a visit to Gloucestershire soon after the Downing Street announcement.
“I do think it’s only sensible to postpone, given what’s happened in India, the shape of the pandemic there. Countries around the world including our own have been through this – I think everybody’s got a massive amount of sympathy with India, what they’re going through,” he said.