At the G20 foreign ministers meeting that happened virtually on Thursday, India proposed a global standard movement of people across national borders with common standards on COVID testing, test results, quarantine, etc. The development comes in anticipation of global travel resuming as the COVID crisis tapers.
India's external affairs minister (EAM) S Jaishankar proposed the development of 'voluntary G20 Principles on Coordinated Cross-Border Movement of People' which will have 3 main elements--standards on testing procedures and universal acceptability of test results, quarantine procedures, and movement and transit protocols.
Global travel, especially by airlines, came to a grinding halt earlier this year, as the COVID pandemic spread from China, which reported the first case of the disease.
During the meet, EAM highlighted the steps taken by India during the pandemic, especially on its mega repatriation plan, the 'Vande Bharat' Mission, creation of 'travel bubbles' for travel "for the welfare and protection of foreign citizens stranded here as well as its own citizens abroad," an MEA release said.
India has brought back 13 lakh stranded Indians abroad under the repatriation programme and announced the formation of travel air bubbles with countries with high Indian diaspora like the US.
EAM called on "governments around the world to ensure that interests of foreign students are protected and movement of stranded seafarers back to their home country is facilitated," the release said.
He also commended Saudi Arabia for its proactive approach in bringing "G20 countries together for dealing with this COVID-19 pandemic." Saudi Arabia is the chair of G20 this year and will host the summit later this year.
A release by the G20 secretariat in Saudi Arabia said, during the meeting, "foreign ministers acknowledged the importance of opening borders, uniting families, and promoting measures to allow the economy to thrive in light" of the protective measures given by health organisations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both Indian and Chinese FMs were present in the virtual G20 FMs meet.