Boris Johnson’s visit to India postponed

Downing Street reported on Tuesday that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s visit to India had been postponed due to an increase in Covid-19 infections in the UK. A spokesman for the prime minister’s office said Johnson had called the Indian prime minister on Tuesday morning to express his regret at not being able to come to India as planned.

He said it was not appropriate for him to travel abroad during the health crisis due to the growing spread of the virus in the UK. Johnson was scheduled to invite India as a guest country to the Group of Seven (G7) summit in the UK later this year. Apart from India, South Korea and Australia were also invited to the conference as guests.

The G7 has seven major developed countries: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The countries in this group are the world’s largest International Monetary Fund (IMF) advanced economies.

Prime Minister Johnson said his visit to India would pave the way for strengthening bilateral trade ties and investment, as well as cooperation in various areas, including defense, security, health and climate change.

Johnson’s visit is also expected to discuss a new post-Brexit trade deal with India, which is set to take place on January 26, the anniversary of Britain’s departure from the European Union’s single market.