Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (File Photo)
In the first impact of coronavirus on diplomatic engagements, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not travel to Brussels to attend the India-EU summit, which has been postponed amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
The summit was scheduled for March 13.
The first coronavirus cases struck the EU institutions on Wednesday. An official at the general secretariat of the EU council of member-states tested positive for COVID-19 following local transmission in Belgium.
On Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs’ official spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, “With regard to the proposed India-EU Summit, both sides have agreed that due to health authorities advising against travel between regions, it would be wise to reschedule the Summit to a later mutually convenient date. The decision has been taken in the spirit of the close cooperation between India and the EU who share the same concerns and commitment to global health and hope that the outbreak is contained soon.”
The EU mission in Delhi said in a statement, “In view of precautionary measures related to the global spread of COVID-19, the EU and India have jointly decided to postpone the EU-India summit foreseen initially for 13 March in Brussels.”
“The two sides will now look to agree on a new summit date through mutual consultations. In the meantime, we will continue work on our joint agenda to make progress across all aspects of our relations,” the EU stated.
According to EU Observer, an online newspaper covering EU affairs, another official working at the EU’s European Defence Agency also tested positive after he had returned from Italy on February 23.
“The colleague is currently receiving the appropriate medical care and the GSC [general secretariat of the council] is taking all necessary measures to limit the risks of transmission of COVID-19 to others,” a council official told EU Observer.
Meetings at the headquarters of the Brussels-based agency, some 2 km from the council building, have been cancelled until March 13.