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Archives for November 2020

Arnab Goswami spends night At jail

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Arnab Goswami spends night at school designated as the jail's COVID-19 centre

Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, arrested for allegedly abetting the suicide of an interior designer, spent the night at a local school which has been designated As a covid-19 centre for the Alibaug prison, an official said on Thursday.

A court at Alibaug in Maharashtra’s Raigad district on Wednesday remanded Goswami and two other accused in judicial custody till November 18 in a 2018 abetment to suicide case.

Police had sought Goswami’s custody for 14 days, but the court held that custodial interrogation was not required. On Wednesday night, Goswami was taken for medical examination at a state-run hospital in the coastal town, the official said.

After the medical exam, he was taken to Alibaug Nagar Parishad School, which is designated as a COVID-19 centre of the Alibaug prison, and he spent the night there, the official said.

Goswami and the two others were booked under section 306 (abetment of suicide) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC in connection with the suicide of architect-interior designer Anvay Naik and Naik’s mother over alleged non-payment of dues by Republic TV.

The other two arrested accused in the case, Feroze Mohammed Shaikh and Nitesh Sarda, were also produced in the Alibaug court on Wednesday and remanded to judicial custody till November 18.

Naik, in his purported suicide note, had mentioned the names of Goswami, Shaikh and Sarda, police said, adding the note was sent to handwriting experts in Pune and a report is awaited.

Hearing on Goswami’s bail application will be on Thursday at Alibaug court, an official said.

Goswami had on November 2 filed a petition in the Bombay High Court seeking to quash the FIR in the case. It will be heard by a division bench of Justices S S Shinde and M S Karnik on Thursday.

A team of Raigad police picked up Goswami (47) from his Lower Parel house in Mumbai on Wednesday morning. He was seen being pushed into the police van, and claimed that he was assaulted by police before being taken away.

Goswami was produced in a court in Alibaug, around 90 km from Mumbai, and was remanded to judicial custody till November 18. The court ruling came shortly after 11 pm.

Mumbai police have registered an FIR against Goswami, his wife, son and two others for “obstructing, assaulting, verbally abusing and intimidating” a police officer on duty and for tearing up “government papers” (arrest intimation) at his house, the official said.

The FIR was registered at the N M Joshi Marg police station on Wednesday under sections 353, 504, 506 of IPC and section 3 of the Damage of Public Property Act, the official said.

Supreme court reserves order on Skoda’s plea challenging FIR in UP over “cheat device” in diesel car

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Supreme court reserves order on Skoda's plea challenging FIR in UP over "cheat device" in diesel car

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Wednesday reserved orders on a plea filed by Skoda Volkswagen India challenging an FIR registered in Uttar Pradesh by a customer over the use of a “cheat device” in its diesel car.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde said there are many legal procedures by which the automobile company can secure relief for itself and observed that prima facie investigation should continue in the case.

“We have read the case. We are saying as to why the trial/investigation should not go on…

“There are many ways to deal with the criminal investigation…we know that Volkswagen is a legendary motor vehicle manufacturer, we are admirers of it… We have had the highest respect for it since World War II…but you are wrong on the stage at which you are coming here,” the bench observed.

At the outset, senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for Skoda, told the top court that in December 2015, a complaint against Volkswagen was made in the National Green Tribunal and in March 2019 a penalty was imposed which was stayed by the apex court.

There was also this FIR lodged in UP and the company moved the high court seeking its quashing, Singhvi told the bench, also comprising Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian.

Singhvi said as to how a fresh can case be started when the same matter is being dealt with by the NGT and the top court.

The apex court, however, said that these are two different issues.

Singhvi argued that the vehicle was purchased by the complainant in 2018 and there were no complaints or representations made to the company.

“In connection with the NGT matter, we had come to the SC and there was immediate stay. While the matter is pending, this FIR was lodged where the allegations are the same as the application before the NGT in the earlier complaint,” Singhvi said.

The apex court was hearing an appeal filed by Skoda against the Allahabad High Court order refusing to quash the FIR and dismissing its plea.

The high court had said that whether a cheat device was installed in the vehicles is a matter of investigation and it cannot be interfered with by the court on an erroneous interpretation of the interim order of the Supreme Court.

The top court had earlier restrained the Centre from taking any “coercive” step against it for non-submission of Rs 500 crore fine imposed by the National Green Tribunal for damaging the environment through the use of “cheat device” in its diesel cars in India.

Earlier, a green panel bench headed by chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel had directed the carmaker to deposit the amount within two months with CPCB.

The tribunal had enhanced the compensation amount of Rs 171.34 crore, which was recommended by an NGT-appointed committee, to Rs 500 crore as a means of “creating deterrence”.

The automaker, however, had said that it did not violate the BS-IV norms and that the test results were based on “on-road testings” for which there were no prescribed standards.

A ‘cheat’ or ‘defeat device’ is a software in diesel engines to manipulate emission tests by changing the performance of the cars globally.

Volkswagen India had in December 2015 announced the recall of 3,23,700 lakh vehicles in India to fix the emission software after ARAI conducted tests on some models and found that their on-road emissions were 1.1 times to 2.6 times higher than the applicable BS-IV norms.

The automobile giant had admitted to the use of ‘defeat device’ in 11 million diesel engine cars sold in the US, Europe, and other global markets to manipulate emission test results.

After the tests by ARAI, Volkswagen India had undertaken to rejig the software by recalling around 3.23 lakh vehicles fitted with EA 189 diesel engines which were in alleged violation of emission norms.

The company, however, had said that the recall in India was purely voluntary in nature as it did not face any charges regarding violating emission norms in India, unlike in the US.

Karnataka: School reopening date to be out next week

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Officials have had a number of discussions on the issue of reopening of schools, but there is no official announcement as yet.

BENGALURU: The decision on reopening schools in Karnataka will be taken after discussions with Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa in the next four or five days, Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar said here on Wednesday.

Kumar, who is out of home quarantine after being treated for the novel coronavirus, was speaking to the media after a meeting with officials of the department of public instruction and representatives of primary and high school teachers’ associations. 

Officials have had a number of discussions on the issue of reopening of schools, but there is no official announcement as yet. The final date should be known after the meeting with Yediyurappa. Over the next two days, officials of the departments of public instruction, social welfare, minority welfare, rural development, transport and health will convene a discussion with representatives of the School Development and Monitoring Committee and educationists, and come out with a comprehensive report.

DDPIs and BEOs have already held preliminary discussions. The report will be submitted to the Chief Minister, who will also be apprised of the statewide situation, and only then a decision on reopening of schools will be arrived at, Suresh Kumar said. The government stalled the Vidyagama project after declaring three-week mid-term holidays from October 12, and private institutes were also not permitted to open, despite several pleas by the managements.

Kumar said that although the rights of children and their health takes precedence, it is also important to think about students being kept away from learning processes for a prolonged period of time. “Children’s rights, welfare, parents’ panic , teachers’ rights, are all important to us, hence the government has not made any hasty decision on reopening schools,” he said. 

Various stakeholders have been consulted to ensure that schools open with necessary precautions in place, Kumar said. The department also discussed the education model of various states in light of Covid-19, and weighed their pros and cons.

Lecturers of government and aided colleges have been given the option to work from home from November 4 to 11. They have been demanding ‘Work From Home’ since October 12, due to the spike in Covid numbers.

Teachers are expected to prepare for digital learning, online and offline teaching and study material preparation, among others, during the period, the order from the department of higher education read. 
T M Manjunath, president of Karnataka Government College Teachers Association, told TNIE, “This will be a break from coming to college amid the pandemic.” However, teachers who are called on duty by the school principal for emergency work and examination related work, must compulsorily be present, said Sheethal Hiremath, under secretary, higher education department. Meanwhile, Manjunath said, “There is much scepticism among parents for offline classes. So far, no consent letters have been received.” ENS

Donald Trump sues in three states, laying ground for contesting outcome

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The AP called Michigan for Democrat Joe Biden on Wednesday. Nevada, Pennsylvania and Georgia are undecided.

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s campaign filed lawsuits Wednesday in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Georgia, laying the groundwork for contesting battleground states as he slipped behind Democrat Joe Biden in the hunt for the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House.

The new filings, joining existing Republican legal challenges in Pennsylvania and Nevada, demand better access for campaign observers to locations where ballots are being processed and counted, and raise absentee ballot concerns, the campaign said. However, at one Michigan location in question The Associated Press observed poll watchers from both sides monitoring on Wednesday.

The AP called Michigan for Democrat Joe Biden on Wednesday. Nevada, Pennsylvania and Georgia are undecided.

The Trump campaign also is seeking to intervene in a Pennsylvania case at the Supreme Court that deals with whether ballots received up to three days after the election can be counted, deputy campaign manager Justin Clark said.

The actions reveal an emerging legal strategy that the president had signaled for weeks, namely that he would attack the integrity of the voting process in states where the result could mean his defeat.

His campaign also announced that it would ask for a recount in Wisconsin, a state the AP called for Biden on Wednesday afternoon. Campaign manager Bill Stepien cited “irregularities in several Wisconsin counties,” without providing specifics.

Biden said Wednesday the count should continue in all states, adding, “No one’s going to take our democracy away from us — not now, not ever.”

Campaign spokesman Andrew Bates said legal challenges were not the behavior of a winning campaign.

“What makes these charades especially pathetic is that while Trump is demanding recounts in places he has already lost, he’s simultaneously engaged in fruitless attempts to halt the counting of votes in other states in which he’s on the road to defeat,” Bates said in a statement.

Election officials continued to count votes across the country, the normal process on the day following voting. Unlike in previous years, states were contending with an avalanche of mail ballots driven by fears of voting in person during a pandemic. At least 103 million people voted early, either by mail or in-person, representing 74% of the total votes cast in the 2016 presidential election.

Every election, results reported on election night are unofficial and the counting of ballots extends past Election Day. Mail ballots normally take more time to verify and count. This year, because of the large numbers of mail ballots and a close race, results were expected to take longer.

The Trump campaign said it is calling for a temporary halt in the counting in Michigan and Pennsylvania until it is given “meaningful” access in numerous locations and allowed to review ballots that already have been opened and processed.

The AP’s Michigan call for Biden came after the suit was filed. The president is ahead in Pennsylvania but his margin is shrinking as more mailed ballots are counted.

There have been no reports of fraud or any type of ballot concerns out of Pennsylvania. The state had 3.1 million mail-in ballots that take time to count and an order allows them to be received and counted up until Friday if they are postmarked by Nov. 3.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in a CNN interview the lawsuit was “more a political document than a legal document.”

“There is transparency in this process. The counting has been going on. There are observers observing this counting, and the counting will continue,” he said.

The Michigan lawsuit claims Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, was allowing absentee ballots to be counted without teams of bipartisan observers as well as challengers. She’s accused of undermining the “constitutional right of all Michigan voters … to participate in fair and lawful elections.” Michigan Democrats said the suit was a longshot.

Poll watchers from both sides were plentiful Wednesday at one major polling place in question — the TCF Center in Detroit, The Associated Press observed. They checked in at a table near the entrance to the convention center’s Hall E and strolled among the tables where ballot processing was taking place. In some cases, they arrived en masse and huddled together for a group discussion before fanning out to the floor. Uniformed Detroit police officers were on hand to make sure everyone was behaving.

Mark Brewer, a former state Democratic chairman who said he was observing the Detroit vote counting as a volunteer lawyer, said he had been at the TCF arena all day and had talked with others who had been there the past couple of days. He said Republicans had not been denied access.

“This is the best absentee ballot counting operation that Detroit has ever had. They are counting ballots very efficiently, despite the obstructing tactics of the Republicans.”

GOP lawyers had already launched legal challenges involving absentee votes in Pennsylvania and Nevada, contesting local decisions that could take on national significance in the close election.

In one appeal to a Pennsylvania appellate court, the Trump campaign complained that one of its representatives was prevented from seeing the writing on mail-in ballots that were being opened and processed in Philadelphia. A judge in Philadelphia dismissed it, saying that poll observers are directed to observe, not audit.

The Georgia lawsuit filed in Chatham County essentially asks a judge to ensure the state laws are being followed on absentee ballots. Campaign officials said they were considering peppering a dozen other counties around the state with similar claims around absentee ballots.

Trump, addressing supporters at the White House early Wednesday, talked about taking the undecided race to the Supreme Court. Though it was unclear what he meant, his comments evoked a reprise of the court’s intervention in the 2000 presidential election that ended with a decision effectively handing the presidency to George W. Bush.

But there are important differences from 2000 and they already were on display. In 2000, Republican-controlled Florida was the critical state and Bush clung to a small lead. Democrat Al Gore asked for a recount and the Supreme Court stopped it.

To some election law experts, calling for the Supreme Court to intervene now seemed premature, if not rash.

A case would have to come to the court from a state in which the outcome would determine the election’s winner, Richard Hasen, a University of California, Irvine, law professor, wrote on the Election Law blog. The difference between the candidates’ vote totals would have to be smaller than the ballots at stake in the lawsuit

“As of this moment (though things can change) it does not appear that either condition will be met,” Hasen wrote.

Ohio State University election law professor Edward Foley wrote on Twitter Wednesday: “The valid votes will be counted. (The Supreme Court) would be involved only if there were votes of questionable validity that would make a difference, which might not be the case. The rule of law will determine the official winner of the popular vote in each state. Let the rule of law work.”

Biden campaign attorney Bob Bauer said if Trump goes to the high court, “he will be in for one of the most embarrassing defeats a president has ever suffered by the highest court in the land.”

The justices could decide to step into the dispute over the three-day extension for absentee ballots if they prove crucial to the outcome in Pennsylvania.

Even a small number of contested votes could matter if a state determines the winner of the election and the gap between Trump and Biden is small.

No Muslim will be deported: Nitish Kumar

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Bihar CM dispels fear of Muslims that they will be thrown out once NRC, CAA are implemented.

PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reached out to voters in Muslim dominated Kishanganj district on Wednesday, assuring them that there was no need to fear about deportation in the event of implementation of the new citizenship laws.

“No power can oust or shift the people of minority from the country. There is no strength in us to take our people out of the country,” he said at an election rally in Kochadhaman Assembly constituency while seeking votes for JDU’s sitting MLA Mujahid Alam. Muslims comprise 68% of the total population of 16,96,400 in Kishanganj which goes to voting in the third phase of election on November 7. 

Without naming All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi on the issue of the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens, Nitish accused vested interests of misleading the people of minority.  “Some people are making such false statement that people will be shifted out of the country. There is no power in anyone to get our people (Muslim) out of the country.”

In February, Nitish had got the Bihar assembly to unanimously pass a resolution rejecting the NRC and contentious questions introduced by the Centre in the NRC update. Bihar was the first NDA-ruled state to unanimously pass a resolution against the NRC.

With the latest assertion, Nitish made another round of assurance to the Muslims who are being wooed by Owaisi. The AIMIM leader is raising the issue of CAA-NRC loudly in elections in Kishanganj. What remains to be seen is the BJP’s reaction as well given that the ruling ally in Bihar has been banking heavily on nationalism and allied issues.  In Bihar, Nitish had completely kept the BJP in dark when he got the Assembly to unanimously pass the resolution rejecting the NRC and the CAA. The BJP had no option then but to grudgingly accept the resolution passed by the Assembly.

Calling upon the people of Bihar’s Seemanchal region in Purnia to vote for NDA, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday accused the Congress party of questioning the bravery of soldiers. “The Congress leaders did not show even a bit of reluctance in question the valour of our army. … At a time when the country and all political parties should  get united and support the army on the issue of Pakistan and China, the Congress questions our soldiers and  their military might for their political benefits,” Singh claimed. He urged the people to “chase” away those people who doubt the soldiers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that it was only the NDA can provide security, employment and new opportunities of self-employment to the youth of Bihar. “In self-reliant Bihar, our goal is to maintain the rule of law. Our aim is welfare of the poor. Our mission is opportunities to youths and protection to women. Our mantra is Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas. Jai Bihar, Jai Bharat.” The PM asserted that he was touched by the love he received in his rallies. “From political consciousness to social brainstorming, from festivals to food, Bihar is amazing,” Modi said.

Local BJP leader recites ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ at mosque in UP’s Baghpat

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Manipal Bansal recited Hanuman Chalisa at a mosque in Vinaypur village under Kekda Police Station area in Baghpat and also posted a video of the incident on Facebook

BAGHPAT: A local BJP leader recited ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ at a mosque here, the second such case in recent days after a group of people offered namaz on the premises of a temple in Mathura.

Police had arrested four men on Tuesday for chanting Hanuman Chalisa at an Idgah on the Goverdhan-Barsana road, about 20 km from Mathura, a day after a man named Faisal Khan was arrested and sent to 14 days in judicial custody for offering namaz on the premises of a Mathura temple.

However, Khan’s organization, Delhi-based Khudai Khidmatgar, claimed that he offered prayers in the temple complex only with the permission of the priests there.

On Tuesday, BJP leader Manupal Bansal recited Hanuman Chalisa at a mosque in Vinaypur village under Kekda Police Station area in Baghpat and also posted a video of the incident on Facebook.

The local police is investigating the matter, Superintendent of Police, Baghpat, Abhishek Singh said on Wednesday, adding that Bansal visited the mosque often and had taken the permission of the mosque’s maulvi — Ali Hassan — so a case could not be lodged.

Bansal, who is the member of district working committee of the BJP, said that he recited Hanuman Chalisa to promote amity and brotherhood after taking Hassan’s permission.

Besides Hanuman Chalisa, Gayatri Mantra was also chanted, Bansal added.

The district unit president of the BJP Surajpal too said that Bansal had taken the maulvi’s permission.

Talking to media persons, Hassan said he allowed Bansal to recite the Hindu prayers as there is nothing wrong in it and everyone needs to work to promote brotherhood.

Earlier, a local leader of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad had announced that he would recite Hanuman Chalisa at Faisal Masjid in Badaut area of Baghpat during Friday prayers after which the police are on a high alert.

Joe Biden wins more votes than any other presidential candidate in US history: Report

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As of November 4, Biden had got over 70.7 million votes, more than anyone who has ever run for president, the National Public Radio (NPR) reported.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden

NEW YORK: Democratic nominee Joe Biden has won more votes than any other presidential candidate in the US history, shattering a record set by former President Barack Obama, according to a media report.

As of November 4, Biden had got over 70.7 million votes, more than anyone who has ever run for president, the National Public Radio (NPR) reported.

This count includes 300,000 more votes than what Obama got in 2008, which was the previous record.

Biden surpassed the popular vote record of 69,498,516 set by Obama in 2008.

Biden, in a tight electoral vote fight to the White House against incumbent President Donald Trump, is 2.7 million votes ahead of the Republican leader in the popular vote.

His lead is growing as counting picks pace in key battleground states.

NPR said millions of votes are still being tabulated across the country, including in California, which has reported 64 per cent of the votes counted.

Trump was also nearing Obama’s record with 67.32 million votes as of Wednesday.

Given that over 100 million votes were received through early voting and mail-in ballots, NBC News reported that there were at least 23 million votes still to be tallied, giving Biden an opportunity to further increase his vote tally.

Biden wins New Jersey and New York, Trump registering early wins in key states

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Biden wins New Jersey and New York, Trump registering early wins in key states

New York: Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden has won New Jersey and New York in a tight race to the White House with President Donald Trump also registering early wins in key states.

Biden got 2.2 million votes in New York while Trump got 1.2 million.

The former vice president won in Democratic-leaning states of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Vermont, and Virginia, while President Trump was posting expected victories in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wyoming, Indiana, and South Carolina, The New York Times said.

People across America were closely watching the 2020 presidential election, which saw a record number of over 100 million early voting due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The usually bustling and crowded Times Square wore an almost deserted look on the election night, as the coronavirus pandemic forced many to stay indoors.

A far cry from the election night of 2016, when supporters of the Democratic and Republican parties, as well as media from around the world, had converged in Times Square, the popular New York City destination was uncrowded and several stores were boarded up and shut.

A small group of people, wearing masks, were seen standing near billboards that displayed the election results. However, the energy and atmosphere seemed subdued. Only a handful of stores in and around Times Square were open and a majority of them were closed and boarded up as businesses took precautionary measures amid fears of possible unrest and violence on the election night.

The NYT also reported that among the biggest states too early to call was Texas, with 38 electoral college votes up for grab.

The most intense attention was on the swing state of Florida and its 29 electoral college votes, the report said, adding that Trump was overperforming his 2016 vote totals in the populous Miami-Dade county, with 526,000-plus votes so far counted in 2020 compared with about 334,000 total four years ago — an enormous improvement.

Trump, Biden Win 14 States Each In Tight Race To White House: Reports

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Trump, Biden Win 14 States Each In Tight Race To White House: Reports

US President Donald Trump, seeking re-election, and Democratic candidate Joe Biden have made early wins in several states as polls close across the United States. All eyes are now on the key battleground states, including Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Texas and Arizona, results of which are crucial for both contenders.

So far, Trump has won Alaska, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wyoming, Indiana, South Carolina and Utah. Biden, meanwhile, has taken Democratic-leaning states like Colorado, Columbia, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.

The US is heading for a historic election with the voter turnout indicating the largest participation in a century. According to the United States Election Project, in at least six states — Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, Oregon, Texas and Washington State — the turnout has been more than what we saw in the 2016 polls.

India urges Gulf nations to facilitate return of Indian workers willing to resume work

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India urges Gulf nations to facilitate return of Indian workers willing to resume work

New Delhi: India on Tuesday urged the Gulf countries to facilitate the return of Indian workers and professionals who are now eager to resume their work following the easing of coronavirus-related restrictions.

The issue figured at a virtual meeting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a leading regional organization comprising almost all Arab countries.

In the meeting, Jaishankar assured the Gulf nations on continuing the supply of food, medicines, and essential items from India.

The Ministry of External Affairs said Jaishankar thanked the GCC countries for taking care of the large Indian diaspora during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The External Affairs Minister mentioned that a large number of Indian workers and professionals are now eager to return to the GCC countries to resume their work.

“He urged the GCC leadership to facilitate their return through sustainable travel bubble arrangements with India,” the MEA said.

Thousands of Indians had returned home from the Gulf region in the last few months following the coronavirus pandemic.

The MEA said the leaders also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

While the Indian delegation was led by Jaishankar, the GCC was represented by Secretary-General of GCC Nayef Falah M Al-Hajraf, Foreign Minister of Bahrain Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani and Foreign Minister of UAE Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash.

Senior representatives from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar also participated in the meeting.

“They agreed that the India-GCC partnership in political, economic, and other domains would be further strengthened. The GCC welcomed India’s inclusion in the UNSC as a non-permanent member from January 2021,” the MEA said.

“Both sides affirmed their commitment to reform multilateral institutions to reflect the realities of the 21st century and to work together to address contemporary challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, sustainable development, and terrorism,” it added.

In a series of tweets, Jaishankar said that continuing the flow of food, medicines and essential items were assured to the Gulf region.

The MEA said Jaishankar also apprised the GCC leaders about the progress made by India in vaccine development as well as in the development and manufacturing of diagnostic and other equipment related to COVID-19.

“Both sides reaffirmed that they will continue to work together to tackle COVID-19 situation,” it said.

Jaishankar also apprised the GCC leaders of the improving situation in India, both on the health and the economic side.

He hoped for an early return to trade normalcy between India and the GCC.

India had ensured that the supply chains from India to the Gulf were not disrupted despite the lockdowns during the pandemic.

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