New Delhi: United Kingdom prime minister Boris Johnson could be the sixth British leader to be the chief guest for India’s Republic Day celebrations.
The Hindustan Times was the first to report that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had formally invited Johnson during their last phone conversation on November 27. Other media reports have also cited “sources” to state that UK prime minister would be the chief guest for the Republic Day event, which will likely have a different flavour in 2021 due to COVID-19 protocols.
There has been no official confirmation either from the Ministry of External Affairs or the British High Commission.
However, the phone conversation which had taken place on November 27, was publicly confirmed.
Thank you @narendramodi, great to speak to you. I’m very much looking forward to deepening and strengthening the UK-India relationship in 2021 and beyond! 🇬🇧🇮🇳 https://t.co/DCOczjm0AL pic.twitter.com/k63ugK2B5n
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) November 27, 2020
The Downing Street spokesperson had said that Johnson had told his Indian counterpart that 2021 was going to be an important year for UK-India ties. “The leaders discussed the work the UK and India are doing together across trade, climate change, defence, security and health. The Prime Minister said 2021 would be a year to deepen and strengthen the UK-India relationship,” he stated.
The last British prime minister to be chief guest for the Republic Day event was John Major in 1993. The first UK leader was invited as chief guest just nine years after Independence – in 1956. Then chancellor to the exchequer Rab Butler was one of two chief guests, with the other being Chief Justice of Japan, Kōtarō Tanaka.
The royal consort, Prince Philip, was the next one in 1959, followed by Queen Elizabeth in 1961. India’s first viceroy, Lord Louis Mountbatten, who was then the Chief of Defence Staff was the fourth UK leader to be given the top billing as a foreign guest in 1964. It was another 30 years later that John Major got an invite – and 27 years more for another resident of 10, Downing Street to be seated at the podium on Raj Path.