RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1371
TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.09.2020
VISIT OF THE US PRESIDENT TO INDIA
1371 SHRI BINOY VISWAM:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) when did Government first receive information from the US Government about the planned visit of US President to India;
(b) whether members of the US President’s staff and delegation were tested for the COVID-19 virus during his visit;
(c) if so, whether any member was tested positive for the virus;
(d) if yes, the reasons why precautions were not taken; and
(e) the precautions taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus at events organised during the visit of the US President?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN]
(a) Dates for the State visit of His Excellency Donald J. Trump, President of the United States to India on 24-25 February 2020 were decided in mutual consultation by the respective governments. The visit was announced by the Government on 11 February 2020.
(b) to (e) At the time of President Trump’s visit i.e. 24-25 February 2020, there was no requirement of mandatory Covid-19 test for travellers coming from foreign countries. Pandemic status to diseases is given by WHO which declared Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
a pandemic on 11 March 2020. The requirement of mandatory universal screening of all international passengers arriving in 21 airports in India for Covid-19 was implemented by Government of India w.e.f 4 March 2020. Therefore, during President Trump's visit
to India, established norms and protocols for handling such high level visits were followed by the Government of India.
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