British PM Boris Johnson to visit India as chief guest for Republic Day

• Downing Street says PM Johnson will travel to India in January 2021. 
• Johnson will become the second British PM to attend India’s Republic Day parade.
• PM Johnson notes that India is an “increasingly indispensable partner” for his country.

United Kingdom's Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be visiting India as the country’s chief guest for the Republic day at the end of January of next year, Indian media reported on Tuesday.

According to Hindustan Times, Johnson will become the second prime minister of the United Kingdom, after John Major, to attend India’s Republic Day parade.

The Indian publication reported that the Downing Street, the official residence of the British prime minister, said that Johnson will travel to India in January 2021. The statement said that the UK’s premier will focus on strengthening the relationship between the two countries.

"I am absolutely delighted to be visiting India next year at the start of an exciting year for Global Britain, and look forward to delivering the quantum leap in our bilateral relationship that Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi and I have pledged to achieve," Johnson said in a statement quoted by NDTV.

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“The Prime Minister will use his visit to India to boost our cooperation in areas that matter to the UK and that will be priorities for our international engagement throughout 2021 – from trade and investment, to defence and security, and health and climate change”, read the statement.

The British PM noted that India is a “key player” in the Indo-Pacific region and an “increasingly indispensable partner” for his country.

Meanwhile, Johnson has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend UK’s G7 Summit as one of three guest nations alongside South Korea and Australia.