Boris calls off visit again; UK puts India on red list

...it’s only sensible to postpone (the visit) given what’s happening in India – the shape of the pandemic there BORIS JOHNSON, UK PM

NEW DELHI: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday called off a planned visit to India this week because of the Covid-19 situation — the second time this year he has deferred a trip to the country due to the pandemic.

The UK government had decided last week to reduce the length of Johnson’s visit following discussions with the Indian side. The Indian mission in London had announced the visit was to begin on April 25.

“In the light of the current Coronavirus situation, Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not be able to travel to India next week. Instead, Prime Ministers [Narendra] Modi and Johnson will speak later this month to agree and launch their ambitious plans for the future partnership between the UK and India,” said a spokesperson for the UK prime minister’s office.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi added the decision to call off the visit had been made by mutual agreement. “The two sides will be holding a virtual meeting in the coming days...,” he said.

Hours after the announcement regarding the cancellation of the visit, UK secretary of state for health Matt Hancock told Parliament the government had included India in the “red list” of countries facing travel curbs.

Johnson told reporters that he and Modi had “basically come to the conclusion that, very sadly, I won’t be able to go ahead with the trip.”