British PM Boris Johnson has accepted India's invitation to be the Chief Guest for Republic Day Parade, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and EAM Subrahmanyam Jaishankar announced on Tuesday. The announcement came while Raab is on a precursor tour of India to lay the groundwork for the prime ministerial-level talks.
Prime Minister Modi formally extended the invitation to him during a phone call last month.
"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 Modi and I have pledged to achieve," said British PM Johnson.
Jaishankar said Johnson accepting the invitation for the Republic Day was, in a way, symbolic of a new era in Indo-UK ties.
Boris' visit to India would be his first major bilateral visit since taking office last year and the first since Britain's exit from the European Union. Downing Street has identified trade and investment, defence and security, health and climate change as some of the priority areas of focus on both sides for a visit in the New Year.
