Boris Johnson invited as 2021 Republic Day chief guest

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been approached through informal channels to be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations in January 2021. The decision on this is awaited from London, according to reports.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the invitation to the British PM on November 27 during a telephonic conversation.

However there was no confirmation from the British High Commission on this with officials saying that Mr. Johnson was keen to visit India as soon as possible.

The protocol in such matters is that the invitation letter goes out only after ascertaining the availability of the foreign leader.

The usual norm of sending invitations for the celebrations and confirmations are sealed by the end of November. But this COVID-19 pandemic disrupted diplomatic calenders and New Delhi sent out a message to Johnson to know if he is willing to travel to India in January.

Given the surge in COVID-19 cases in the UK since October, it could be difficult for the British PM to commit to an overseas travel engagement in less than two months now.

If Boris Johnson agrees to the invitation, he will be sixth from the UK to be Republic Day chief guest. He will also be the first British PM since John Major in 1993 to be chief guests at the celebrations.

In the past, members of the British royalty have been chief guests- Prince Philips in 1959 and Queen Elizabeth II in 1961.

British Chancellor of exchequer Rap Butler (1956, along with Japan’s former chief justice Kotaro Tanaka) and then Chief of Defence Staff Lord Mountbatten (1964) have also been chief guests in the past.