Centre Has No Plan to Introduce Vaccine Passport For Global Travel, MEA Issues Clarification

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday issued a clarification and said that the count has no plan to introduce Vaccine Passport for the global travel at the moment. In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Union Minister V Muraleedharan said that while there have been discussions regarding Covid-19 vaccine certificates, no multilateral arrangements have been reached in this regard.

“There is no plan to introduce vaccine passport. While there have been multilateral discussions, including under the framework of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), regarding COVID-19 vaccination certificates, no multilateral arrangements in this regard have been reached so far,” the junior minister noted.

The clarification from the Centre comes at a time when several countries are planning to roll out a vaccine passport, a documentary proof that a person has been vaccinated used to fast track visa applications for travel.

“India has been part of ongoing discussions to ensure that Indian manufactured vaccines are duly recognised in any multilateral arrangement. India is also engaging with countries for mutual recognition of vaccination certificates,” Muraleedharan further added.

However, the country has been issuing CoWIN vaccine certificates to fully vaccinated people and with this proof they can travel abroad when the airlines start operation.

Earlier, MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said that India hoped that blocs like European Union will recognise the certificate for travel on a reciprocal basis.

“Our expectation is that Indians who have been vaccinated through our domestic vaccination programme would be treated at par with those vaccinated in the EU and the CoWIN vaccination certificate would be recognized by the EU on a reciprocal basis,” said Bagchi at a media briefing earlier.

However, within the country, vaccination certificates are being issued for COVID-19 vaccines which are approved for emergency use in India and to only such volunteers who participated in the trials for such vaccines.