Boris Johnson Cancels Republic Day Visit To India Over COVID-19 Lockdown In England; The UK PM Speaks To PM Modi To Express His Regret

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has cancelled his Republic Day visit to India. This comes hours after he announced a fresh lockdown in the United Kingdom over the new strain of coronavirus that has affected thousands of people in the UK. Johnson was to be the chief guest at this year's Republic Day parade in New Delhi, which was also to be his first bilateral visit after the UK's departure from the European Union in December. He had accepted the invitation in December, 2020. The Prime Minister said it was important for him to remain in the UK so he can focus on the domestic response to the virus. Johnson's government has announced a complete lockdown for England's 56 million people, which could last until mid-February. The measures were taken amid a huge spurt in coronavirus cases which saw 80,000 fresh infections on one day in the end of December. On January 5, United Kingdom recorded more than 60,000 new cases.