India's G7 delegation isolate themselves in London; Jaishankar joins meet virtually after possible Covid-19 exposure

India is not part of the Group of Seven wealthy democracies but was invited to the talks by Britain

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and other members of India’s delegation to a G7 conclave hosted by the United Kingdom isolated themselves in London on Wednesday after being exposed to the risk of being infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Two members of the delegation led by the External Affairs Minister tested positive for coronavirus infection, the Sky News reported from London. New Delhi, however, did not confirm or deny the report, but sources said that all members of the delegation had tested negative before they had left New Delhi for London.

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Jaishankar addressed the meeting of the G7 Foreign Ministers virtually although he had travelled to the UK capital to physically take part in it. “(I) Was made aware yesterday evening of exposure to possible Covid (Covid-19) 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,” the External Affairs Minister posted on Twitter early on Wednesday.

“A cyber participation at the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. So far, yet so near,” he later tweeted, along with pictures of him virtually attending the conclave.

A source in New Delhi said that the members of the delegation from India were in good health and the next course of action would be decided in consultation with the British government.

He had a bilateral meeting with United States Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, soon after reaching London on May 3. Blinken was also in the UK capital to attend the G7 meeting hosted by the British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.

Jaishankar also had a meeting with British Home Secretary Priti Patel on Tuesday, when they signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on India-UK Migration and Mobility Partnership in London. The MoU was one of the outcomes of the virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart in the UK, Boris Johnson.

The External Affairs Minister had a trilateral meeting with Australian and French Foreign Ministers, Marise Payne and Jean-Yves Le Drian, on the Indo-Pacific region. He also had physical meetings with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell Fontelles, and Foreign Minister of South Africa Naledi Pandor, in London.

After isolating himself on Wednesday, Jaishankar had a virtual bilateral meeting with Canadian Foreign Minister Marc Garneu on the sideline of the G7 conclave.

Jaishankar and Raab were expected to hold a bilateral meeting on Thursday, but sources in New Delhi said that it might now happen virtually.

The British Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary spoke to the External Affairs Minister virtually even after he and other members of the delegation isolated themselves on Wednesday.