Will not have R-Day chief guest due to Covid-19 situation: MEA

NEW DELHI: The Ministr y of External Affairs on Thursday announced that there will be no foreign leader as the chief guest at the upcoming Republic Day celebrations due to the global situation arising out of the coronavirus pandemic. It will be for the first time in over five decades that India will not have a chief guest at the Republic Day parade. The decision comes days af ter British Prime Minister Boris Johnson cancelled his visit to India to grace the Republic Day celebrations in view of the spread of a new variant of the coronavirus in the United Kingdom. India had invited Johnson as the Republic Day chief guest and he accepted India's invitation, calling it "a great honour".