Indian Prime Minister Modi Postpones EU Summit... Impact of COVID-19

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has postponed the European Union (EU) summit scheduled for mid-month. Indian authorities stated that the postponement of the summit was a decision based on health authorities' recommendations due to the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

According to foreign media such as the Associated Press, Ravi Shankar Kumar, spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced at a press briefing on the 5th that the India-EU summit, originally scheduled to be held on the 13th (local time) in Brussels, Belgium, has been postponed following recommendations from health authorities on both the Indian and EU sides. Currently, there have been two confirmed COVID-19 cases at the EU headquarters.

In India, 30 confirmed COVID-19 cases had been reported as of the 5th. The number of confirmed cases is rapidly increasing, with 23 new cases reported in a single day on the 4th. According to local media such as the Times of India, in addition to the existing 30 confirmed cases, 23 individuals who initially tested positive are awaiting final confirmation after additional testing, so the number of confirmed cases is expected to rise further. Indian authorities have ordered all elementary schools in New Delhi to close until the 31st.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.