UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson canceled his visit to India, which was to begin next Sunday amid a continuous surge in new COVID cases in the country.

According to a statement from both countries’ governments, Johnson and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will speak later this month regarding future bilateral plans and remain in regular contact.

"In view of the prevailing Covid situation, it has been decided by mutual agreement that the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom will not visit India next week. The two sides will be holding a virtual meeting in the coming days to launch plans for a transformed India-U.K. relationship. Both leaders attach the highest importance to taking the India-U.K. partnership to its fullest potential and propose to remain in close touch in this regard and look forward to an in-person meeting later in the year,” MEA said in a statement.

Last week, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson shortened the length of his India visit later this month.

UK health authorities have identified 77 cases of the highly infectious B.1.617 variant of coronavirus which causes COVID-19, first found in India, and has designated it a Variant Under Investigation (VUI).

India at present is not on the "red list" of countries, which involves more stringent hotel-based quarantine requirements for travellers commuting between India and the UK.

(Edited by : Pranati Deva)

First Published:Apr 19, 2021 2:41 PM IST