Narendra Modi postpones meeting with Rishi Sunak ahead of G20 summit

Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murthy go to dinner in central Delhi Photo: Simon Walker/No. 10 Downing Street

Rishi Sunak opted for a date in Delhi with his wife on Friday after Narendra Modi pulled out of a planned meeting with the prime minister and business leaders were unable to attend a meeting to mark his visit.

The prime minister was due to hold talks with Mr Modi at the Indian prime minister's official residence late on Friday, ahead of the official G20 summit on Saturday.

But the meeting was canceled before Mr Sunak left for Delhi Thursday evening comes shortly before the announcement that Joe Biden will join Modi for dinner at his residence on Friday evening.

Mr Sunak and Mr Modi are now due to meet on the sidelines of the G20 summit itself.

On Friday, the British High Commission also canceled a meeting of Indian business leaders who were due to meet Mr Sunak as it emerged guests would have difficulty getting to the event due to lockdown in Delhi as part of security measures at the summit.

Mr Sunak was due to hold a 'quick' meeting with Georgia instead Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy, followed by a private dinner with his wife Akshata Murthy.