‘Very generous’ of India, says Boris Johnson as he accepts invite to be chief guest of Republic Day

In an official statement on Tuesday, UK confirmed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson has accepted India’s invitation to be the Chief Guest on Republic day, January 26, 2020.

“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,” Reuters quoted Mr Johnson citing an official statement.

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He said it to be ‘very generous’ of India to invite him to be the chief guest of its Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi.

UK’s Foreign Secretary called it “a great honour”.

It is reported to be Mr Johnson’s first bilateral visit to India since he took office in 2019.

Boris Johnson will be the second UK prime minister to attend the event after John Major in 1993. India has also invited Mr Johnson to join the UK’s G7 summit next year.