Covid-19: India’s foreign minister to join G7 meeting virtually after possible exposure to virus
Two members of the Indian delegation had tested positive for the coronavirus, reports said.
Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar on Wednesday said he will join the Group of Seven or G7 meeting in London virtually after he was informed about exposure to people with possible coronavirus infection.
Sky News, citing sources, reported that two members of India’s delegation accompanying the foreign minister to the United Kingdom had tested positive for the coronavirus. According to PTI, more test results are awaited.
“Was made aware yesterday evening of exposure to possible Covid positive cases,” Jaishankar tweeted. “As a measure of abundant caution and also out of consideration for others, I decided to conduct my engagements in the virtual mode. That will be the case with the G7 meeting today as well.”
Jaishankar was pictured meeting British Home Secretary Priti Patel and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday.
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. That will be the case with the G7 Meeting today as well.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 5, 2021
A pleasure to welcome @DrSJaishankar to the @UKHomeOffice today as we signed the landmark Migration & Mobility deal as part of our New Plan for Immigration, providing new opportunities for our young people to live and work here and in India as we recover from the pandemic.
— Priti Patel (@pritipatel) May 4, 2021
🇬🇧🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/AWWorBRDze
India is not a G7 member but was invited by Britain to the summit, along with Australia, South Africa and South Korea. Jaishankar arrived in London on Monday for a four-day visit as one of the guest ministers.
Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States and the UK as well as the European Union are among the G7 members. This was their first in-person meeting in more than two years, PTI reported. Physical distancing and other measures have been put in place to curb the spread of the virus. This includes setting up plastic screens between participants and making on-site tests available.
