New Delhi, April 20
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cancelled his visit to Portugal next month to attend a meeting with European Union leaders even as more countries have put India on the no-fly list.
Though the UK and some other countries have issued advisories against travel to and from India, it is the US advisory issued today that could have a wider impact as it is based on science-based algorithms by the prestigious Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The ‘Travel Health Notice’ has placed India in ‘Level 4: Very high level of Covid’.
The US has advised its citizens to avoid travelling to India, even if they are fully vaccinated.
Meanwhile, though the MEA announced the cancellation of PM Modi’s visit to Porto, Portugal, it did not say whether the PM’s second leg to France stands.
“In view of the COVID-19 situation, it has been decided, in consultation with the EU and Portuguese leadership, to hold the India-EU leaders’ meeting in a virtual format on May 8,” said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The India-EU leaders’ meeting in the EU+27 format was to be held for the first time. Last year too, both sides had to settle for a virtual summit due to the pandemic.
Barring a slight disagreement over human rights between South Block and the European Union Parliament, India-EU have shown a steady improvement especially in the security sphere.
In contrast, China started off the new year brightly with a Comprehensive Agreement on Investments (CAI) with the EU. But it has ground to a halt due to tit-for-tat sanctions on alleged human rights and forced labour issues in Xinjiang. Late last month, the EU Parliament had cancelled its review meeting on the agreement.
