India to play significant role in shaping post-Covid order: BJP

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a four-day visit to the US, the BJP said on Wednesday that as the world will seek a more rule-based, transparent, and democratic future in the post-Covid order, India under his leadership will play a most significant role in shaping it.

At a press conference, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar said Modi's recognition by the world as a ''global leader'' is not recent as over the last seven years he has been recognized by countries across the globe, including Saudia Arabia, the UAE, France, and Russia.

To a question about some countries not recognizing Indian vaccines against the coronavirus, he said fear and paranoia about travel have become high in the pandemic-hit world and every sovereign country will take a decision which it thinks is in the best interest of its people.

In his personal opinion, the BJP leader said, there is nothing right and wrong about this as some countries will take a stronger view on what vaccine will be accepted by their medical fraternity because of a general atmosphere of the unknown about the pandemic.

The UK government on Wednesday added Covishield, the India-manufactured Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, to its list of approved vaccines, a day after the Indian government warned of reciprocal measures over ''discriminatory'' action against a UK-licensed product.

An earlier travel advisory of the UK government had not recognized the jab.

The Indian government has said it is working with several countries to recognize India's vaccine certification on a mutual reciprocal basis.

Speaking about Modi's visit, Chandrasekhar said, ''This is a vindication of the last seven years of his foreign policy of keeping India first that today on the global stage under his leadership India is playing a significant role in shaping the future of the world.'' He said over the last 18 months India has fought and is slowly but surely prevailing over COVID-19.

Under Modi's leadership the country also successfully dealt with terrorism and expansionism, he said, in an oblique reference to Pakistan and China.

Modi has led and united the country in its resilient fight against these challenges, Chandrasekhar added.

The world has recognized this, the BJP leader said, adding that India has vaccinated over 82 crore people with at least one dose and its economy had rebounded strongly.

India has received a record FDI of over 65 billion dollars, has recorded its highest ever export, and is expected to be the fastest-growing economy in the world in this fiscal.