President Kovind cancels 3-nation tour to Serbia, Jamaica and Saint Vincent

The decision to cancel President Kovind’s visit to Serbia, Jamaica and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was confirmed after an event attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

NEW DELHI: President Ram Nath Kovind has cancelled his three-nation tour to Serbia, Jamaica and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, scheduled to begin tomorrow, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

President Ram Nath Kovind talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the inauguration of 'Arogya Vanam' at President's Estate, in New Delhi. The 6.6-acre 'Vanam' developed in the shape of a human sitting in the 'Yoga Mudra' will be open for public viewing from Tuesday. (PTI)

The decision was confirmed shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met President Kovind on the sidelines of an event at the President’s estate. An official confirmed that the two discussed the developing situation in Ukraine where around 15,000 Indian nationals are stranded in the middle of a Russian invasion.

“Yes, it is cancelled. The ministry of external affairs(MEA) will have the details,’’ said a Rashtrapati Bhawan spokesperson. This would have been the President’s second international trip during the coronavirus pandemic, the last one was a three-day state visit to Bangladesh in December.

The ministry of external affairs has not commented on the development.

President Kovind’s office tweeted, “EAM Dr S Jaishankar last night apprised President Ram Nath Kovind of the progress of #OperationGanga for the evacuation of Indian nationals including students from Ukraine. Later the President called Prime Minister Narendra Modi and lauded the government’s efforts.’”