International Travel Should Be Based On Covid Tests To Tackle Discrimination: Jaishankar In Russia

Asserting that the basis of international travel should be Covid-19 tests, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said that if passengers are tested before and after international travel it should be a good enough measure to check the spread of Covid-19.

“If people are tested before international travel and tested on arrival, it is a good enough basis for travel but some countries have now introduced the issue of vaccination. So, we will have to reach some understanding… I discussed today how do we make sure that we are not discriminated against and how do we reach understandings between ourselves about the travel of our citizens to each other’s countries,” Jaishankar said.

The minister made the comments while addressing a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Friday. Jaishankar is on a three-day visit to Russia.

Stressing that the Covid-19 pandemic has provided an opportunity for India and Russia to strengthen ties and enhance cooperation, Jaishankar said, “We are seeing that today in the production of Sputnik vaccine, I completely agree with my Russian counterpart. I think we have to protect our population and help the world and the two go together that they are part of the same issue.”

Lavrov, commenting on the cooperation between Russia and India in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, said that Russia is ready to discuss the certification of citizens vaccinated against Covid-19 with India, and an agreement can be reached in this sphere.

"We are ready to discuss the possibilities of coordinating our actions related to vaccinated citizens, regarding the certification of those who were vaccinated. I think that we can reach an agreement here, and it will serve as an example to other states," he said.

Lavrov stressed that both countries are against the politicisation of vaccines and attempts to be guided by unfair competition.

"I am confident that the majority of countries share this approach," he said.
(With PTI inputs)