India’s G-7 Delegation Self-Isolates After Positive COVID-19 Tests
India’s Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar meets with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in London, U.K. (Wikimedia Commons).
India’s delegation to the G-7 foreign ministers’ meeting was forced to stay out of in-person activities after two members tested positive for COVID-19 on May 5. India’s Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar tweeted, "[I] was made aware yesterday evening of exposure to possible Covid positive cases. As a measure of abundant caution and also out of consideration for others, I decided to conduct my engagements in the virtual mode.” Despite the positive tests raising the possibility of COVID-19 spreading among attendees, authorities say that the in-person events are still safe to conduct.
Although India is not an official member of the G-7, its delegation was invited to attend a series of pre-summit meetings with other foreign ministers in London before the actual summit, which is set to begin on June 11. Although the U.K. government has banned travel from India due to the country’s raging second wave of COVID-19, it exempts diplomats from the restrictions as long as they self-isolate for two weeks.
However, it appears that Dr. Jaishankar has violated that protocol, considering that he has already had multiple in-person meetings with the Secretary of State Antony Blinken despite arriving on May 3. Delegation members were even allowed to remove their masks during meetings, although they were divided by plexiglass sheets.
The U.S. State Department didn’t express any concerns with the positive tests, with spokesperson Ned Price saying, “We have no reason to believe any of our delegation is at risk. We will continue to follow the guidance of public health professionals going forward and abide by the same strict COVID-19 protocols." Dr. Jaishankar also met in person with U.K. Home Secretary Priti Patel before going into self-isolation; both were pictured wearing masks.
The foreign ministers’ meeting focused on socioeconomic issues including global vaccine distribution, girls’ education, food security, and climate finance, in addition to the geopolitical challenges posed by China, Russia, and Iran. Many also saw the series of meetings as an opportunity to renew normal diplomatic practices after the COVID-19 pandemic prevented an in-person summit from happening in 2020.
Attending the meeting was especially important to India, which seeks foreign aid as it battles a record-breaking second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. India had a world record of 412,000 fresh cases on May 5. Meanwhile, it set a country record of 3,980 daily deaths, adding to a death toll of 230,000. India’s healthcare system has completely collapsed because of the rapidly spreading disease, with hospitals facing increasing shortages of essentials like oxygen, ventilators, and ICU beds.
Dr. Jaishankar is being criticized in India for traveling to London, with some claiming that he should’ve stayed during a time of crisis. However, his trip can be seen as a way to secure more foreign vaccine aid as India continues to battle the pandemic, with the topic being discussed during his meetings with Blinken and U.K. Secretary of State Dominic Raab.