India implements tit-for-tat Covid-19 quarantine for British passengers
- More than 160 fully vaccinated British nationals arriving in New Delhi on Monday were singled out for mandatory tests and a 10-day quarantine
- The rules mirror those put in place by London for fully inoculated Indians – even though most of the country has been jabbed with British-developed Covishield
India to slap travel curbs on vaccinated UK travellers in tit-for-tat move
These rules mirror the UK’s regulations for Indians – which do not apply to vaccinated travellers from other countries.
“Considering the trajectory of Covid-19 cases in the United Kingdom and the presence of all four variants of concern, the travel advisory as issued by this ministry is being modified,” the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a statement.
New Delhi’s retaliation was expected. Many Indians were flummoxed by what they saw as a racist rule, particularly as the jab most Indians have received, Covishield, is a locally developed version of the same vaccine developed by British-headquartered firm AstraZeneca.
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When India protested the rule, talks between the two sides last week led to the UK recognising Covishield as a vaccine, but still refusing to regard Indians who had received both doses as fully inoculated.
Britain later said the issue was not the vaccine, but that India’s inoculation certificates did not have the recipient’s date of birth.
Efforts were made on to iron out the problem, but New Delhi decided to hit back without waiting.
The UK’s refusal to relent was thrown into even sharper relief by the fact that other countries, including Switzerland and Australia, are allowing vaccinated Indian visitors in without quarantine.
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“We are continuing to engage with the government of India on technical cooperation to expand UK recognition of vaccine certification to people vaccinated by a relevant public health body in India,” said a spokesperson for the British High Commission in New Delhi.
“More post-Brexit brain fades? India’s using a UK vaccine developed by Oxford scientists with [AstraZeneca]. Through a thoughtless decision, the UK’s subjected itself to a backfire and embarrassment,” wrote one netizen from the country on Twitter.
