Not only are Covid-19 cases rocketing in the country, but a new variant found there is being investigated to see if it could spread more easily and evade vaccines.
The coronavirus situation in India has been worsening for weeks, but until now the government had resisted pressure to cancel the trip, keeping India off the 'red-list' of countries from which arrivals to the UK must quarantine in a hotel for 10 days.
Mr Johnson said it is "only sensible" to cancel his trip, adding it is up to the UK Health Security Agency whether to add the nation to the travel "red list".