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Tag: UK

  • India-UK trade pact a high priority; next round of talks slated next month: Goyal

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the UK is a high priority for both countries and the next round of negotiations for the pact is slated to happen next month, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday.

    He said that things are progressing well and it will yield good results.

    “We are all very well aware that it was progressing very fast until we had a little bit of a blip because of political happenings in the other country. Fortunately, we have a stable government. I believe in the office now (in the UK) and I am already in touch with my (UK) counterpart. We are working together to possibly have an in-person meeting also very soon but our teams are already engaged. Next month, the next round of negotiations are slated to happen,” Goyal said here at a steel industry event.

    He said that industry support is required for the agreement and it should be a fair, equitable and balanced FTA.

    He also said that there should not be any strict timelines to conclude negotiations for an FTA as such agreements have to be thought through and carefully calibrated and negotiated.

    “With UK we are doing a comprehensive deal like the UAE. I assure you that it is a high priority of both countries. It has been reiterated in the meeting of the G20,” Goyal said.

    India and Britain launched negotiations for the FTA in January with an aim to conclude talks by Diwali (October 24), but the deadline was missed due to political developments in the UK. There are 26 chapters in the agreement, which include goods, services, investments and intellectual property rights.

    Reduction or elimination of customs duty under the pact would help Indian labour-intensive sectors like textiles, leather, gems and jewellery to boost exports in the UK market.

    The UK is seeking duty concessions in areas like Scotch whiskey and automobiles.ALSO READ | Committed to working quickly on UK-India FTA: Rishi Sunak

    So far, five rounds of talks are already completed between the officials of the two countries till July.

    The bilateral trade between the two countries increased to USD 17.5 billion in 2021-22 compared to USD 13.2 billion in 2020-21. India’s exports stood at USD 10.5 billion in 2021-22, while imports were USD 7 billion.

    There are 26 chapters in the agreement, which include goods, services, investments and intellectual property rights.

    India’s main exports to the UK include ready-made garments and textiles, gems and jewellery, engineering goods, petroleum and petrochemical products, transport equipment and parts, spices, metal products, machinery and instruments, pharma and marine items.

    Major imports include precious and semi-precious stones, ores and metal scraps, engineering goods, professional instruments, non-ferrous metals, chemicals and machinery.

    The UK is also a key investor in India. New Delhi attracted foreign direct investment of USD 1.64 billion in 2021-22. The figure was about USD 32 billion between April 2000 and March 2022.

    In the services sector, the UK is one of the largest markets in Europe for Indian IT services.ALSO READ | Australia ratifies free trade deals with India and Britain

    NEW DELHI: The proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the UK is a high priority for both countries and the next round of negotiations for the pact is slated to happen next month, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday.

    He said that things are progressing well and it will yield good results.

    “We are all very well aware that it was progressing very fast until we had a little bit of a blip because of political happenings in the other country. Fortunately, we have a stable government. I believe in the office now (in the UK) and I am already in touch with my (UK) counterpart. We are working together to possibly have an in-person meeting also very soon but our teams are already engaged. Next month, the next round of negotiations are slated to happen,” Goyal said here at a steel industry event.

    He said that industry support is required for the agreement and it should be a fair, equitable and balanced FTA.

    He also said that there should not be any strict timelines to conclude negotiations for an FTA as such agreements have to be thought through and carefully calibrated and negotiated.

    “With UK we are doing a comprehensive deal like the UAE. I assure you that it is a high priority of both countries. It has been reiterated in the meeting of the G20,” Goyal said.

    India and Britain launched negotiations for the FTA in January with an aim to conclude talks by Diwali (October 24), but the deadline was missed due to political developments in the UK. There are 26 chapters in the agreement, which include goods, services, investments and intellectual property rights.

    Reduction or elimination of customs duty under the pact would help Indian labour-intensive sectors like textiles, leather, gems and jewellery to boost exports in the UK market.

    The UK is seeking duty concessions in areas like Scotch whiskey and automobiles.ALSO READ | Committed to working quickly on UK-India FTA: Rishi Sunak

    So far, five rounds of talks are already completed between the officials of the two countries till July.

    The bilateral trade between the two countries increased to USD 17.5 billion in 2021-22 compared to USD 13.2 billion in 2020-21. India’s exports stood at USD 10.5 billion in 2021-22, while imports were USD 7 billion.

    There are 26 chapters in the agreement, which include goods, services, investments and intellectual property rights.

    India’s main exports to the UK include ready-made garments and textiles, gems and jewellery, engineering goods, petroleum and petrochemical products, transport equipment and parts, spices, metal products, machinery and instruments, pharma and marine items.

    Major imports include precious and semi-precious stones, ores and metal scraps, engineering goods, professional instruments, non-ferrous metals, chemicals and machinery.

    The UK is also a key investor in India. New Delhi attracted foreign direct investment of USD 1.64 billion in 2021-22. The figure was about USD 32 billion between April 2000 and March 2022.

    In the services sector, the UK is one of the largest markets in Europe for Indian IT services.ALSO READ | Australia ratifies free trade deals with India and Britain

  • Jaishankar and UK Foreign Secretary Cleverly discuss Ukraine conflict, Indo-Pacific situation 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Ukraine conflict and the situation in Indo-Pacific figured prominently in talks between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and visiting British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on Saturday.

    It is learnt that the two sides also took stock of the ongoing negotiations for the proposed Indo-UK free trade agreement.

    Cleverly arrived in India on Friday on a two-day visit primarily to attend a special meeting of the UN Security Council Counter Terrorism Committee.

    It is the first visit by a top-ranking official from Britain after Rishi Sunak took charge as the UK’s first Indian-origin prime minister on Tuesday.

    “Delighted to welcome UK Foreign Secretary @JamesCleverly on his first India visit; shortly after our meeting in New York last month,” Jaishankar tweeted.

    Delighted to welcome UK Foreign Secretary @JamesCleverly on his first India visit; shortly after our meeting in New York last month.Noted the progress in our Roadmap 2030. Also discussed the Ukraine conflict and the Indo-Pacific. pic.twitter.com/LCmYJPGGFr
    — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 29, 2022
    “Noted the progress in our Roadmap 2030. Also discussed the Ukraine conflict and the Indo-Pacific,” he added.

    During the visit, the British foreign secretary announced further collaboration between the UK and India through British International Investment.

    This included 11 million pounds of UK funding invested in Kinara Capital, a woman-led fintech company, according to the British High Commission.

    British International Investment is designed to strengthen trade ties with the UK’s partners and generate economic growth.

    The high commission said Cleverly also announced a 22 million pounds investment by the UK-backed Neev II Fund into Hygenco which will help India’s green energy transition by pioneering green hydrogen.

    India hosted the meeting of the UN Security Council Counter Terrorism Committee in its capacity as its chair.

    While the first day’s meeting took place in Mumbai on Friday, the second day’s deliberations were in Delhi on Saturday.

    The India-UK relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the India-UK virtual summit held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his then British counterpart Boris Johnson in May last year.

    At the summit, the two sides adopted a 10-year roadmap to expand ties in the key areas of trade and economy, defence and security, climate change and people-to-people connections among others.

    The two sides are also carrying out negotiations for the early finalisation of the free trade agreement.

    In April, the two sides had set a Diwali deadline for concluding the FTA but the deal could not be finalised in view of differences over certain issues as well as political developments in the UK.

    On the sidelines of the UN meeting, Jaishankar also met the UAE’s Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy and Albania’s Deputy foreign Minister Albania Megi Fino.

    “So nice to meet with UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy. Her participation at the UNSC special meeting reflects the trust of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Discussed shared threat terrorism poses to the world and the global responses,” Jaishankar tweeted.

    So nice to meet with UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy. Her participation at the UNSC special meeting reflects the trust of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.Discussed shared threat terrorism poses to the world and the global responses. pic.twitter.com/nwFItR8GV6
    — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 29, 2022
    On his meeting with Megi, he said the full potential of the bilateral relationship was discussed.

    “A good meeting with Megi Fino, Deputy FM of Albania. Her participation at the UNSC special  meeting reflects our excellent coop’n during our UNSC tenure.Discussed exploring the full potential of our bilateral relationship. We will also cooperate closely in multilateral forums,” he said.

    NEW DELHI: The Ukraine conflict and the situation in Indo-Pacific figured prominently in talks between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and visiting British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on Saturday.

    It is learnt that the two sides also took stock of the ongoing negotiations for the proposed Indo-UK free trade agreement.

    Cleverly arrived in India on Friday on a two-day visit primarily to attend a special meeting of the UN Security Council Counter Terrorism Committee.

    It is the first visit by a top-ranking official from Britain after Rishi Sunak took charge as the UK’s first Indian-origin prime minister on Tuesday.

    “Delighted to welcome UK Foreign Secretary @JamesCleverly on his first India visit; shortly after our meeting in New York last month,” Jaishankar tweeted.

    Delighted to welcome UK Foreign Secretary @JamesCleverly on his first India visit; shortly after our meeting in New York last month.
    Noted the progress in our Roadmap 2030. Also discussed the Ukraine conflict and the Indo-Pacific. pic.twitter.com/LCmYJPGGFr
    — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 29, 2022
    “Noted the progress in our Roadmap 2030. Also discussed the Ukraine conflict and the Indo-Pacific,” he added.

    During the visit, the British foreign secretary announced further collaboration between the UK and India through British International Investment.

    This included 11 million pounds of UK funding invested in Kinara Capital, a woman-led fintech company, according to the British High Commission.

    British International Investment is designed to strengthen trade ties with the UK’s partners and generate economic growth.

    The high commission said Cleverly also announced a 22 million pounds investment by the UK-backed Neev II Fund into Hygenco which will help India’s green energy transition by pioneering green hydrogen.

    India hosted the meeting of the UN Security Council Counter Terrorism Committee in its capacity as its chair.

    While the first day’s meeting took place in Mumbai on Friday, the second day’s deliberations were in Delhi on Saturday.

    The India-UK relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during the India-UK virtual summit held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his then British counterpart Boris Johnson in May last year.

    At the summit, the two sides adopted a 10-year roadmap to expand ties in the key areas of trade and economy, defence and security, climate change and people-to-people connections among others.

    The two sides are also carrying out negotiations for the early finalisation of the free trade agreement.

    In April, the two sides had set a Diwali deadline for concluding the FTA but the deal could not be finalised in view of differences over certain issues as well as political developments in the UK.

    On the sidelines of the UN meeting, Jaishankar also met the UAE’s Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy and Albania’s Deputy foreign Minister Albania Megi Fino.

    “So nice to meet with UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy. Her participation at the UNSC special meeting reflects the trust of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Discussed shared threat terrorism poses to the world and the global responses,” Jaishankar tweeted.

    So nice to meet with UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy. Her participation at the UNSC special meeting reflects the trust of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
    Discussed shared threat terrorism poses to the world and the global responses. pic.twitter.com/nwFItR8GV6
    — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 29, 2022
    On his meeting with Megi, he said the full potential of the bilateral relationship was discussed.

    “A good meeting with Megi Fino, Deputy FM of Albania. Her participation at the UNSC special  meeting reflects our excellent coop’n during our UNSC tenure.Discussed exploring the full potential of our bilateral relationship. We will also cooperate closely in multilateral forums,” he said.

  • Hollywood star Kevin Spacey charged with sexual offences against men in UK

    By PTI

    LONDON: Hollywood star Kevin Spacey has been charged with four counts of sexual assault against three men, the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said on Thursday.

    The 62-year-old Oscar-winning American actor, behind famous films such as ‘Usual Suspects’ and ‘American Beauty’ and the Netflix political drama ‘House of Cards’, has also served as artistic director of London’s Old Vic theatre from 2004 to 2015.

    “The CPS has authorised criminal charges against Kevin Spacey, 62, for four counts of sexual assault against three men,” said Rosemary Ainslie, Head of the CPS Special Crime Division.

    “He has also been charged with causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. The charges follow a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation,” she said.

    “The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mr Spacey are active and that he has the right to a fair trial,” she added. The CPS said it is extremely important there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.

    The charges date back to March 2005 in London against a man now in his 40s and two others dated August 2008 against a man now in his 30s. A charge dated April 2013 relates to sexual assault in Gloucestershire, south-west England, against a man now in his 30s. The charges announced this week follow an investigation launched by Scotland Yard back in 2017.

    “The CPS’ charging decision follows a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police Service in its investigation,” the Met Police said.

    The CPS highlighted that it is not for the prosecution service to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make “fair, independent and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges for a criminal court to consider”.

    It noted that the CPS assessment of any case is not in any sense a finding of, or implication of, any guilt or criminal conduct.

    It is not a finding of fact, which can only be made by a court, but rather an assessment of what it might be possible to prove to a court, in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors, the CPS said. The actor, whose full name is Kevin Spacey Fowler, has previously denied allegations against him.

  • Johnson becomes first UK PM to visit Sabarmati Ashram, calls Gandhi extraordinary man

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: Visiting British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday termed Mahatma Gandhi an “extraordinary man” who mobilised the principles of truth and non-violence to change the world for better.

    Johnson became the first prime minister of the UK to visit the Sabarmati Ashram here, the place from where Gandhi led India’s struggle for freedom from the British colonial rule for more than a decade.

    In fact, the Tory politician is also the first British prime minister to visit Gujarat post 1947.

    “It is an immense privilege to come to the ashram of this extraordinary man, and to understand how he mobilised such simple principles of truth and non-violence to change the world for better,” Johnson wrote in the visitors’ book at the Gandhi ashram.

    “It is an immense privilege to come to the Ashram of this extraordinary man, and to understand how he mobilised such simple principles of truth and non-violence to change the world for the better”: UK PM Boris Johnson’s message at Gandhi Ashram, Ahmedabad pic.twitter.com/z9Gj6FrB52
    — ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2022
    While the British PM was effusive in his praise for the Mahatma, during the freedom struggle such praise for Gandhi from Britain’s ruling class was rare.

    Winston Churchill famously called Gandhi a “half- naked fakir” as the latter opposed sending Indian soldiers to fight for Britain in the Second World War and launched the Quit India movement in 1942. The Mahatma’s call to use the charkha (spinning wheel) and boycott foreign goods including cloth hit the textile industry in Manchester.

    Charkha became a very potent symbol of the anti-colonial struggle. During his visit, prime minister Johnson tried his hand at the charkha at Hriday Kunj, the hut where Gandhi lived. A replica of charkha was also presented to him.

    The Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust also gifted two books to him. One of the books was “Guide to London”, an unpublished book which consists of Gandhi’s suggestions on how to live in London.

    The other book was “The Spirit’s Pilgrimage”, autobiography of Mirabehn or Madeleine Slade, Gandhi’s British-born follower. Johnson is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Friday.

  • Rishi Sunak’s Spring Statement laid down roadmap for British PM Boris Johnson’s India visit

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Close on the heels of rendering an unconditional apology for ‘partygate’, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson embarks on his India visit from Thursday.

    “My visit to India will deliver on the things that really matter to the people of both our nations – from job creation and economic growth to energy security and defence,” Johnson said recently.

    The focus of his visit is going to be trade, defence and security. British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, in his Spring Statement, laid out a series of measures relevant for Indian companies keeping in mind PM Johnson’s India visit – which would give an impetus to expand trade and investment between India and the UK.

    Indian companies secured 40 per cent of all work visas issued by the UK last year (almost as much as the rest of the world combined) and employ over 100,000 people in the UK. “This is significant for the two countries,” Sunak said in his statement.

    Tax relief has been extended to British companies to cover R&D conducted overseas – which could further enhance the R&D-driven investments by UK businesses in India, including the co-creation of new technology with Indian partners.

    At present R&D expenditure in India is around health, defence, agriculture, industrial production and technology, space, transport and energy. All these sectors are of interest to the UK.

    The UK-India FTA negotiations will be advanced with PM Johnson’s visit. Announcements are likely to be made in technology transfer in defence (specially maritime sector) and security.

    Meanwhile, PM Johnson begins his India trip by landing in Ahmedabad on Thursday. He is expected to inaugurate the sixth plant of JCB in Vadodara. JCB happens to be a supporter of the Conservative Party and its chairman, Lord Bamford, came for the laying of the foundation stone of the plant in 2019. The investment for this plant was Rs 650 crore.

    Johnson is also likely to meet with industrialist Gautam Adani and visit the Sabarmati Ashram.

    In Delhi, he will meet with Prime Minister Modi and they are likely to make an announcement around bilateral trade and partnerships.

    Ukraine will figure amongst their talks. “As we face threats to our peace and prosperity from autocratic states, it is vital that democracies and friends stick together,” Johnson said, indicating that he would expect India to take a firmer stand against Russia.

    Trade between India and the UK is worth an estimated £23bn each year. The two countries last year agreed on a UK-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which the UK government said would bring more than £533mn of investment into thecountry from India and would result in the creation of more than 6,500 jobs.

  • Disney’s ‘Snow White’ set catches fire in UK

    By ANI

    WASHINGTON: A fire broke out on the set of Disney’s upcoming live-action remake of ‘Snow White’ at Pinewood Studios in the UK on Tuesday afternoon. 

    According to Variety, the stage had been under construction for the movie when reportedly a tree caught alight, leading to a huge blaze. “No filming was underway,” a Disney source confirmed.

    Photographs show enormous flames next to a mock thatched cottage, with thick smoke all the way up to the ceiling. The fire is believed to have broken out on Pinewood’s Richard Attenborough stage. Image clicked outside the production facility also showed smoke billowing around the outside of the building.

    “A set made up of a lot of wood, and trees etc was currently being built in the Richard Attenborough stage. Rumour is a piece of set that has caught alight and spread across the rest of the set. Some crew in the studio were shaken but evacuated without injury,” an unnamed source told a local news outlet.

    No casualties have been reported and it is not believed any actors were on set when the fire broke out. The live-action version of the animated classic is set to star Rachel Zegler as the Disney princess and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen.

    As per Variety, previously, Pinewood sets have caught fire on at least two other occasions: on Ridley Scott’s 1984 film ‘Legend’ and in 2006 during a shoot for Bond film ‘Casino Royale’. 

  • EAM Jaishankar speaks to British counterpart Liz Truss

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday spoke to his British counterpart Liz Truss, focusing on defence and security ties, the situation in Ukraine and implementation of the India-UK ‘Roadmap 2030’.

    The ‘Roadmap 2030’ was adopted at a virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Boris Johnson in May last year.

    “Good catching up with UK Foreign Secretary @trussliz. Conducted periodic review on our Roadmap 2030. Also discussed the situation in Ukraine,” Jaishankar tweeted.

    On her part, Truss said “Russian aggression against Ukraine” was discussed apart from defence and security cooperation as well as the proposed India-UK free trade agreement.

    “Good to speak with @DrSJaishankar. We discussed: Russian aggression against Ukraine; working towards a FTA with India; closer defence & security cooperation,” she tweeted.

    The US and its Western allies have been severely critical of Russia over its continuing build-up of forces near the Ukraine border.

    The US has already decided to send extra troops to Europe to support its allies in the backdrop of fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

    The ‘Roadmap 2030’ was aimed at ramping up cooperation over the next decade in the key areas of trade and economy, defence and security, climate change and people-to-people connect among others.

  • India withdraws travel advisory that added Covid checks, restrictions on UK arrivals

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The government has withdrawn a travel advisory that added COVID-19 related additional checks and restrictions on those arriving from the UK after the British government ordered discontinuation of mandatory testing and quarantine norms for those vaccinated with Covishield travelling from India.

    In an official memorandum issued on October 11, the health ministry said that based on the evolving scenario, it has been decided that the revised guidelines stand withdrawn and the earlier guidelines on international arrival issued on February 17 shall be applicable to all travellers arriving in India from the UK.

    Earlier this month, India had said that all British nationals arriving in India from the UK will have to undergo a mandatory 10-day quarantine if they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

    India’s had made this announcement after the UK recognised Covishield vaccine produced by the Serum Institute of India but retained the 10-day quarantine period for fully vaccinated travellers from India.

  • India imposes reciprocity: All UK nationals to undergo 10-day quarantine, COVID tests upon arrival from Oct 4

    By Online Desk

    In a reciprocal measure, all UK nationals arriving in India from October 4 will have to undergo RT PCR tests and a 10-day mandatory quarantine.

    Under the new norms, all British nationals arriving in India from the UK, irrespective of their vaccination status, will also have to undertake the pre-departure COVID-19 RT-PRC test within 72 hours before travel, the sources said.

    The tests will be conducted irrespective of the passengers’ vaccination status and they will also have to take them eight days after arrival.

    A 10-day quarantine at home or in destination address will also be deemed mandatory come October 4, sources said.

    Earlier on Tuesday, India warned of “reciprocal measures” if the UK does not address its concerns over the new travel rules relating to COVID-19 vaccine certification, going a step further, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla described these norms as “discriminatory”.

    According to the new rules announced by the UK, Indian travellers who have received both doses of the Covishield vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) will be considered unvaccinated and will have to undergo self-isolation for 10 days.

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had also taken up the issue of Covishield-vaccinated travellers being required to quarantine in the UK with newly-appointed British Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss at a meeting in New York.

    “The basic issue is that here is a vaccine, Covishield, which is a licensed product of the UK company, manufactured in India of which we have supplied five million doses to the UK at the request of the government of the UK. being used under the national health system, and, therefore, non-recognition of Covishield is a discriminatory policy and does impact those of our citizens travelling to the UK,” Shringla had earlier said at a media briefing here.

    Developed by researchers at the University of Oxford and pharma giant AstraZeneca, Covishield is one of the two anti-COVID vaccines used by India — Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin being the other –in its vaccination drive across the country.

    (With PTI inputs)

  • Tit for tat: All UK nationals to undergo 10-day quarantine, COVID tests upon arrival from Oct 4

    By Online Desk

    In a reciprocal measure, all UK nationals arriving in India from October 4 will have to undergo RT PCR tests and a 10-day mandatory quarantine.

    Under the new norms, all British nationals arriving in India from the UK, irrespective of their vaccination status, will also have to undertake the pre-departure COVID-19 RT-PCR test within 72 hours before travel, the sources said.

    The tests will be conducted irrespective of the passengers’ vaccination status and they will also have to take them eight days after arrival.

    A 10-day quarantine at home or in destination address will also be deemed mandatory come October 4, sources said.

    Earlier on Tuesday, India warned of “reciprocal measures” if the UK does not address its concerns over the new travel rules relating to COVID-19 vaccine certification, going a step further, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla described these norms as “discriminatory”.

    According to the new rules announced by the UK, Indian travellers who have received both doses of the Covishield vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) will be considered unvaccinated and will have to undergo self-isolation for 10 days.

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had also taken up the issue of Covishield-vaccinated travellers being required to quarantine in the UK with newly-appointed British Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss at a meeting in New York.

    “The basic issue is that here is a vaccine, Covishield, which is a licensed product of the UK company, manufactured in India of which we have supplied five million doses to the UK at the request of the government of the UK. being used under the national health system, and, therefore, non-recognition of Covishield is a discriminatory policy and does impact those of our citizens travelling to the UK,” Shringla had earlier said at a media briefing here.

    Developed by researchers at the University of Oxford and pharma giant AstraZeneca, Covishield is one of the two anti-COVID vaccines used by India — Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin being the other –in its vaccination drive across the country.

    (With PTI inputs)