India imposes reciprocal travel curbs on UK for failure to recognise CoWIN certificate

Amid the row over recognition of Indian vaccine certificates in the United Kingdom, the Centre has decided to impose reciprocal travel curbs, including mandatory quarantine, for travellers arriving from the UK, the government has said.

The stringent rules will be applicable from October 4 for all UK nationals arriving in the country, irrespective of their vaccination status. The Ministries of Home Affairs and Civil Aviation will take steps to implement the decision.

The UK had earlier officially recognized the covishield vaccine as one of four jabs which if taken, ensured international visitors could enter the UK. However, Indians who took it in India still had to meet the strict mandatory quarantine rules while visiting the UK.

Last month, Moneycontrol had reported India's hard stance on the manner after New Delhi had threatened to put reciprocal measures.

According to the new rules, UK nationals would be required to undertake a pre-departure COVID-19 RT-PRC test within 72 hours before travel. They would be tested again upon their arrival at the airports in India, and another RT-PCR test would be conducted on the eighth day after their arrival.

In addition to the tests, they would be required to undergo mandatory quarantine at home or in the destination address for 10 days after arrival in India.

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The UK, last month, announced 10-day mandatory quarantine for travellers arriving from India as it does not recognise the CoWin vaccination certificate.

While the decision was initially attributed to the exclusion of Covishield from the list of recognised vaccines in the UK, it was later clarified that the British authorities are concerned over the vaccine certification system in India.

On September 22, the UK announced that Covishield, which is the made-in-India version of AstraZeneca vaccine, has been included in the list of approved vaccines. However, the stringent travel norms would remain for Indian travellers as the country remains on the amber list of guidelines on travel.

The UK divides countries as red, amber or green and applies quarantine and COVID-19 testing norms based on the category.

Even if people are fully vaccinated, by being a part of the amber list, they must take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2 while travelling to the UK.

After travellers arrive in England, they must quarantine at home or in the place they are staying for 10 days. They are also required to take a COVID-19 test on or before day 2 and on or after day 8.

This was protested by Indian officials. "Covishield is a licensed product of an UK company, manufactured in India, of which we have supplied 5 million doses to the UK, at the request of the Government of the UK. We understand that it has been used in the National Health System of the UK as well," Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla had said.

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