India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla is set to visit the United Kingdom on 23 July. His two-day visit has raised hopes for the lifting of the travel ban imposed on Indians by the Boris Johnson government in view of the second wave of the pandemic.
A report by news agency ANI said that Shringla will meet his counterparts and conduct a detailed review of bilateral relations with a focus on the implementation of Roadmap 2030 during his visit to the UK.
But, more crucially, the foreign secretary is likely to impress upon the British government to ease travel restrictions for Indians. “More than half of EU member states have already recognised Covishield. We have been taking up with foreign countries the need to ease travel restrictions of Indians. We believe this easing will be an important step towards economic recovery post-COVID,” the ministry of external affairs said.
More than half of EU member states have already recognised Covishield. We have been taking up with foreign countries the need to ease travel restrictions of Indians. We believe this easing will be an important step towards economic recovery post-COVID: MEA
— ANI (@ANI) July 22, 2021
The UK included India in the list of red countries in April this year. This means that no Indians would be allowed entry into the UK. Only British nationals and those legally allowed to reside in the UK can travel to the United Kingdom. They will, however, be required to quarantine themselves in a government-approved hotel for 11 days. The cost of the hotel quarantine is £ 1,750 for the first adult. This cost is over and above the ticket price that an individual has to pay.
Many have argued that since India has seen a considerable reduction in coronavirus cases with the vaccination drive gaining momentum. Experts have favoured the lifting of restrictions for Indians, who’ve had both the doses of the coronavirus vaccines.
The UK has adopted the traffic light system to restrict the flow of visitors from foreign countries. While anyone arriving from a red-list country is required to remain in a hotel quarantine for 11 days, those coming from amber list countries must isolate themselves inside their homes for 10 days. Only visitors from green list countries are not subjected to either hotel quarantine or home isolation.
The British government has, however, changed the rule for people arriving from amber list countries if they are fully vaccinated in the UK.
Several reports recently highlighted the hardship faced by Indians, particularly students, who have to be in the UK before the start of their new academic year in September.