New Delhi, India (CU)_ The United Kingdom has sent an official invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the G7 summit that will be organized in the Cornwall county in June. The G7 community includes the world’s top seven democratic nations such as the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the USA and the European Union. During the G7 conference, emerging global issues such as the coronavirus pandemic, climate change and free trade will be discussed. In addition to India, Australia and South Korea have also been invited to the G7 summit.
A recent press statement said that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will visit India ahead of the G7. Earlier, Boris Johnson has planned his India visit for this year’s Republic Day in January 26. But his India visit was cancelled due to the discovery of the new mutant strain of the virus in Britain.
The statement said, “UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will use the first in-person G7 summit in almost two years to ask leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to seize the opportunity to build back better from coronavirus, uniting to make the future fairer, greener and more prosperous”.
The statement highlighted the expanding teamwork between India and the United Kingdom over the battle against the coronavirus. The statement said, “As ‘pharmacy of the world’, India already supplies more than 50% of the world’s vaccines, and the UK and India have worked closely together throughout the pandemic. Our Prime Ministers speak regularly and Prime Minister Johnson has said he will visit India ahead of the G7”.
Mr Johnson was quoted in the statement as saying, “Coronavirus is doubtless the most destructive force we have seen for generations and the greatest test of the modern world order we have experienced. It is only right that we approach the challenge of building back better by uniting with a spirit of openness to create a better future”.
For more than two weeks, the government had suspended flights between India and the United Kingdom due to the new strain of the virus that was first identified in the European region. Mr. Johnson has been invited as the chief guest for the Republic Day parade. But he cancelled his visit shortly after declaring a nation-wide shutdown.
A statement released by the UK government earlier this month stated the country’s current pandemic situation. It said, “In light of the national lockdown announced last night, and the speed at which the new coronavirus variant is spreading, the Prime Minister said that it was important for him to remain in the UK so he can focus on the domestic response to the virus”.
