Staff Reporter / New Delhi
The surge in Covid cases in India might put off plans to invite the five Presidents of Central Asian states as Chief Guests for Republic Day,though there was no official word from the Ministry of External Affairs.
Instead, the five Central Asian leaders will take part in a virtual summit with PM Modi on Republic Day to celebrate 30 years of establishment of ties, said sources.
This is the second year in a row when Covid has led to no overseas Chief Guest at the Republic Day parade.
The exponential rise in cases in the UK in January last year forced its Prime Minister Boris Johnson to call off his visit to India as the Chief Guest.
With pandemic-induced disruptions in one country or the other becoming the norm, diplomats and entrepreneurs have already taken to virtual conversations in a big way.