BJP MP says UK travel rules may impact FTA talks

New UK travel curbs consider Indian nationals vaccinated with Covishield as 'unvaccinated', forcing them to undergo a 10-day quarantine

BJP on Tuesday slammed Britain's discriminatory vaccine-linked travel curbs and wondered how talks about a free trade agreement (FTA) could take place in such a “vitiated environment”.

The sharp reaction from BJP Rajya Sabha member Swapan Dasgupta came even as External Minister S Jaishankar urged British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss for review of the travel curbs that consider Indian nationals vaccinated with Covishield as “unvaccinated”, forcing them to undergo a 10-day quarantine.

“I hope the External Affairs Minister also conveyed the outrage in India over the bizarre non-recognition of the Covishield vaccine that, ironically, was developed in the UK & is widely used there. No wonder there are charges of ‘racism’,” Dasgupta said.

“I wonder how this vitiated environment will help FTA talks,” the Rajya Sabha member added.

Read | 'Racist, offensive': Jairam Ramesh, Tharoor slam UK's Covid travel rules

After completing its exit from the European Union last year, Britain has been keen to secure trade deals, particularly with nations in the Indo-Pacific region, home to some of the fastest-growing economies.

Britain is eyeing access to India's growing market as well as manufacturing hubs to ensure steady supply chains as it charts its path after exiting the European Union.

Britain intends to secure FTAs covering 80 per cent of its trade by the end of 2022. Having concluded FTAs with the EU, Japan and Singapore post Brexit, India is the largest market with which Britain is keen on having an FTA.

Earlier, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had said that Britian's travel regulations as “absolutely bizzare” and one that “smacks of racism”.

Another Congress leader Shashi Tharoor had pulled out of a visit to Britain to participate in a debate organised by the Cambridge Union Society.

“It is offensive to ask fully vaccinated Indians to quarantine. The Brits are reviewing,” Tharoor said.

Britain said it was working with India on recognition of the Covid-19 vaccination certificates issued by Government of India.