New Delhi: Hours after India decided to impose reciprocity on UK nationals arriving in the country, the British High Commission in India said that it is working with the Government to ‘expand UK recognition of vaccination certification’ issued in India.

“We are continuing to engage with the Government of India on technical cooperation to expand UK recognition of vaccine certification to people vaccinated by a relevant public health body in India,” a spokesperson of the British High Commission in India said, news agency ANI reported.

Earlier today, in a tough diplomatic move, New Delhi decided that all UK nationals arriving in India will have to undergo a 10-day quarantine upon arrival. “UK nationals arriving in India from the UK will have to undergo mandatory quarantine at home or in the destination address for 10 days after the arrival,” officials said.

Tough stance after UK retained India in ‘amber’ list

With the revised decision, which will come into effect from October 4, all UK nationals arriving in India from the UK, irrespective of their vaccination status, will have to undertake – pre-departure Covid-19 RT-PCR test within 72 hours before travel, RT-PCR test on arrival at the airport, and an RT-PCR test on Day 8 after their arrival.

The move was taken after the UK initially refused to recognised Indian vaccines for Indians travelling to the UK, and later, despite reversing the decision, kept India on the amber list, thus making it mandatory for Indians to undergo a 10-day quarantine. India had lodged a strong protest and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had also raised the issue with his UK counterpart during a meeting in New York.