<p>Relations between India and United Arab Emirates strengthened during the COVID-19 pandemic,&nbsp;India's Ambassador Pavan Kapoor told&nbsp;WION Global Summit in Dubai on Wednesday.</p>

<p>During his welcome address to the summit on behalf of the host nation, Kapoor&nbsp;talked about the need for multilateral solutions and international solidarity during times of crises.</p>

<p>"It is natural that disruptions caused by the pandemic have led to a greater distrust about the merits of globalisation," he said. "At the same time, invisible challenges and the pandemic have highlighted more clearly the need &nbsp;for multilateral solutions, or at least working arrangements between countries with converging interests."</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-it-happened-wion-global-summit-2021-372686">As it happened: WION Global Summit 2021</a></strong></p>

<p>He also highlighted the role of India in such difficult times. "As a pluralistic and open society with a market economy, India fits the role well. The choice for a nation to just focus on its own recovery is an easy one. However, the choice to build up its own capabilities including for the benefit of others is a difficult one. I would say, India has taken the latter path," he said.</p>

<p>Talking about Indians stuck in the UAE during the lockdown, he described how India has had to take the difficult decisions to face the unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/post-pandemic-world-will-be-a-different-place-than-just-wearing-masks-says-indian-external-affairs-minister-jaishankar-372721" hreflang="en">India's leadership capabilities stood out during pandemic, says Jaishankar</a></strong></p>

<p>"The decision by India to close its air space last March for 2.5 months even for its own citizens. I can say that the kind of problems that we had trying to explain to our people here, who are present in very large numbers, it was a very difficult decision to explain to them," Kapoor said.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Pavan Kapoor (<a href="https://twitter.com/AmbKapoor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AmbKapoor</a>), Indian Ambassador to the UAE, delivers the welcome note on behalf of the host nation, UAE, at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIONGlobalSummit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIONGlobalSummit</a> in Dubai<br />
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Follow LIVE updates here: <a href="https://t.co/KYZtALCh7N">https://t.co/KYZtALCh7N</a> <a href="https://t.co/lTc8d1Rx0O">pic.twitter.com/lTc8d1Rx0O</a></p>
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<p>However, he also added that "this gave the government breathing space to control the numbers and create an impressive health infrastructure and deal with the anticipated surge in cases which proved very helpful subsequently."</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wuhan-virus-and-the-travails-of-being-a-pro-china-hong-kong-lawmaker-372793">'Wuhan virus' and the travails of being a pro-China Hong Kong lawmaker</a></strong></p>

<p>Kapoor said that as soon as India started its massive repatriation mission in early May 2020, some 250,000 people registered for the process within three days of the registration link going live on the website.</p>

<p>He reminisced about May 7, 2020, when the first flight of Vande Bharat Mission took off from Abu Dhabi to Kochi. The Indian government was able to repatriate over 300,000 Indian nationals from UAE within three months of the Vande Bharat Mission, he recalled.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-politician-hints-at-peace-accords-with-oman-indonesia-372907">Israeli politician hints at peace accords with Oman, Indonesia</a></strong></p>

<p>"The numbers have since crossed over a million and a half, but a very large number of people who travel to India have since also come back, especially after we entered into a bilateral air bubble arrangement, which is still ongoing and supporting the strong people-to-people exchanges between the two countries."</p>

<p>The Indian ambassador also reported that the government is operating over 300 flights a week between the two countries, which is the largest of the air bubble arrangements that India has in place at present.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-global-summit-2021-pavan-kapoors-keynote-address-372777"><strong>Watch |</strong></a></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-global-summit-2021-pavan-kapoors-keynote-address-372777/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>He also thanked the government of UAE, department of health, civil aviation, interior, and foreign ministry.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The India-UAE comprehensive strategic partnership has truly emerged stronger since the start of the COVID pandemic," he said. "The constant high-level empathetic exchanges between our leadership have ensured this outcome."</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-arab-reset-a-reflection-of-geopolitical-reality-aimed-at-iran-says-former-us-nsa-john-bolton-at-wion-global-summit-372738">Israel-Arab reset a geostrategic shift aimed at Iran: Bolton</a></strong></p>

<p>He talked about the strengthening relationships between the two countries in the post-pandemic world and increasing cooperation in new areas, brought about by several virtual and physical meetings between the leaders of the two nations.</p>

<p>In addition to the strengthening relationships in the defence area, the two countries have also established stronger bilateral cooperation in areas such as healthcare and food security during the coronavirus pandemic.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/respect-human-rights-and-dignities-taiwans-former-defence-minister-to-china-at-wion-global-summit-372787">Respect human rights and dignities: Taiwan's Former Defence Minister to China</a></strong></p>

<p>India also made sure that the food supplies to the UAE "remain uninterrupted, despite the lockdown in India," Kapoor said. He also reported that India supplied HCQ tablets to UAE on a priority basis and also facilitated&nbsp;the arrival of many more nurses and doctors from India to support the healthcare service providers in the country.</p>

<p>The South Asian country has also supplied 200,000 doses of the Covishield coronavirus vaccine to the UAE as a part of India's 'Vaccine metri' or vaccine friendship programme in February 2021.</p>


Relations between India and United Arab Emirates strengthened during the COVID-19 pandemic, India's Ambassador Pavan Kapoor told WION Global Summit in Dubai on Wednesday.

Relations between India and United Arab Emirates strengthened during the COVID-19 pandemic, India's Ambassador Pavan Kapoor told WION Global Summit in Dubai on Wednesday. During his welcome address to the summit on behalf of the host nation, Kapoor talked about the need for multilateral solutions and international solidarity during times of crises. "It is natural that disruptions caused by the pandemic have led to a greater distrust about the merits of globalisation," he said. "At the same time, invisible challenges and the pandemic have highlighted more clearly the need for multilateral solutions, or at least working arrangements between countries with converging interests." Also read | As it happened: WION Global Summit 2021 He also highlighted the role of India in such difficult times. "As a pluralistic and open society with a market economy, India fits the role well. The choice for a nation to just focus on its own recovery is an easy one. However, the choice to build up its own capabilities including for the benefit of others is a difficult one. I would say, India has taken the latter path," he said. Talking about Indians stuck in the UAE during the lockdown, he described how India has had to take the difficult decisions to face the unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic. Also read | India's leadership capabilities stood out during pandemic, says Jaishankar "The decision by India to close its air space last March for 2.5 months even for its own citizens. I can say that the kind of problems that we had trying to explain to our people here, who are present in very large numbers, it was a very difficult decision to explain to them," Kapoor said. Pavan Kapoor (@AmbKapoor), Indian Ambassador to the UAE, delivers the welcome note on behalf of the host nation, UAE, at #WIONGlobalSummit in Dubai Follow LIVE updates here: https://t.co/KYZtALCh7N pic.twitter.com/lTc8d1Rx0O — WION (@WIONews) March 24, 2021 × However, he also added that "this gave the government breathing space to control the numbers and create an impressive health infrastructure and deal with the anticipated surge in cases which proved very helpful subsequently." Also read | 'Wuhan virus' and the travails of being a pro-China Hong Kong lawmaker Kapoor said that as soon as India started its massive repatriation mission in early May 2020, some 250,000 people registered for the process within three days of the registration link going live on the website. He reminisced about May 7, 2020, when the first flight of Vande Bharat Mission took off from Abu Dhabi to Kochi. The Indian government was able to repatriate over 300,000 Indian nationals from UAE within three months of the Vande Bharat Mission, he recalled. Also read | Israeli politician hints at peace accords with Oman, Indonesia "The numbers have since crossed over a million and a half, but a very large number of people who travel to India have since also come back, especially after we entered into a bilateral air bubble arrangement, which is still ongoing and supporting the strong people-to-people exchanges between the two countries." The Indian ambassador also reported that the government is operating over 300 flights a week between the two countries, which is the largest of the air bubble arrangements that India has in place at present. Watch | He also thanked the government of UAE, department of health, civil aviation, interior, and foreign ministry. "The India-UAE comprehensive strategic partnership has truly emerged stronger since the start of the COVID pandemic," he said. "The constant high-level empathetic exchanges between our leadership have ensured this outcome." Also read | Israel-Arab reset a geostrategic shift aimed at Iran: Bolton He talked about the strengthening relationships between the two countries in the post-pandemic world and increasing cooperation in new areas, brought about by several virtual and physical meetings between the leaders of the two nations. In addition to the strengthening relationships in the defence area, the two countries have also established stronger bilateral cooperation in areas such as healthcare and food security during the coronavirus pandemic. Also read | Respect human rights and dignities: Taiwan's Former Defence Minister to China India also made sure that the food supplies to the UAE "remain uninterrupted, despite the lockdown in India," Kapoor said. He also reported that India supplied HCQ tablets to UAE on a priority basis and also facilitated the arrival of many more nurses and doctors from India to support the healthcare service providers in the country. The South Asian country has also supplied 200,000 doses of the Covishield coronavirus vaccine to the UAE as a part of India's 'Vaccine metri' or vaccine friendship programme in February 2021.

India-UAE have strengthened relationship during pandemic: India's Ambassador Pavan Kapoor at WION Global Summit 2021

<p>What is the future of digitalisation in the post-pandemic world?&nbsp; Sustainability is the keyword, according to Kaimar Karu, Former Minister of Foreign Trade and Information Technology, Republic of Estonia.</p>

<p>"I hope and believe that our future will be more sustainable," said Karu during a panel discussion on the future of digital revolution, moderated by international TV presenter Ali Aslan&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/globalsummit/dubai-2021">WION's Global Summit 2021 Dubai</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I don't really mean the nature or the climate because the planet will be fine, humanity may not be so much."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wion-global-summit-pundits-explore-role-challenges-of-digitalisation-372856">WION Global Summit: Pundits explore role, challenges of digitalisation</a></strong></p>

<p>He added that if humanity needs to survive, the practices need to be sustainable, adding that "there are no recipes" of how to do it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We need to collaborate," Karu said adding that the pandemic has taught us that "we should stop looking at the pieces of the puzzle to make it all work because nobody has the box of puzzle."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/post-pandemic-world-will-be-a-different-place-than-just-wearing-masks-says-indian-external-affairs-minister-jaishankar-372721">Post-pandemic world will be a different place than just wearing masks, says Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar</a></strong></p>

<p>"So sustainability, collaboration, and treating complex systems as complex rather than puzzles," Karu told the session.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Jehudi Castro, Former Deputy Minister, Digital Economy, Colombia; Simon Lacey, Former VP, Huawei Technologies; Gilles Babinet, Digital Champion at the European Commission for France; Audrey Tang, Digital Minister, Taiwan; Maria Galindo, Current Advisor in International Digital Policy, Ministry for Digital Policy and Public Administration, Government of Catalonia, were the other speakers who shared their thoughts during the discussion on the digital revolution.&nbsp;</p>


What is the future of digitalisation in the post-pandemic world? Sustainability is the keyword, according to Kaimar Karu, Former Minister of Foreign Trade and Information Technology, Republic of Estonia.

What is the future of digitalisation in the post-pandemic world? Sustainability is the keyword, according to Kaimar Karu, Former Minister of Foreign Trade and Information Technology, Republic of Estonia. "I hope and believe that our future will be more sustainable," said Karu during a panel discussion on the future of digital revolution, moderated by international TV presenter Ali Aslan at WION's Global Summit 2021 Dubai. "I don't really mean the nature or the climate because the planet will be fine, humanity may not be so much." Also read | WION Global Summit: Pundits explore role, challenges of digitalisation He added that if humanity needs to survive, the practices need to be sustainable, adding that "there are no recipes" of how to do it. "We need to collaborate," Karu said adding that the pandemic has taught us that "we should stop looking at the pieces of the puzzle to make it all work because nobody has the box of puzzle." Also read | Post-pandemic world will be a different place than just wearing masks, says Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar "So sustainability, collaboration, and treating complex systems as complex rather than puzzles," Karu told the session. Jehudi Castro, Former Deputy Minister, Digital Economy, Colombia; Simon Lacey, Former VP, Huawei Technologies; Gilles Babinet, Digital Champion at the European Commission for France; Audrey Tang, Digital Minister, Taiwan; Maria Galindo, Current Advisor in International Digital Policy, Ministry for Digital Policy and Public Administration, Government of Catalonia, were the other speakers who shared their thoughts during the discussion on the digital revolution.

Digital future needs to be 'sustainable': Former Estonia minister Karu at WION's Global Summit

<p>Talking about the shift in relationships in West Asia at the WION Global Summit's session titled Peace Deals and the Shifting Sands of West Asia, Emirati news editor&nbsp; Ibrahim Shukralla, said he hopes Israel would not resume the annexation plan, as it would affect the peace plans.</p>

<p>Highlighting the significance of the Abraham Accords, Shukralla said, "I think it's definitely going to boost the chances and it's providing more diplomatic tools, more policy options. We are talking about a fresh dialogue now. So, we have all these things on negotiating table that were not existing before. This is what UAE has been saying after the accords."</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-global-summit-ibrahim-shukrallas-remarks-372850"><strong>Watch |</strong></a></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-global-summit-ibrahim-shukrallas-remarks-372850/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>He also talked about the profitability of the Abraham Accords. "If we are going to use the old methods with an old mentality which always failed...how would this gain progress if you are going to use the same thing every single time? I think the Abraham Accords was a historic &nbsp;event and obviously, the UAE and Palestine will always be the cornerstone of the UAE's foreign policy and &nbsp;I am sure foreign policy of most of the Arab states."</p>

<p>Talking about the relationship with Israel, he said, "I see the profitability of the Abraham Accords for all the countries that normalise ties with Israel. During COVID, 13,000 Israelis tourists visited the UAE."</p>

<p>About how this has been a big win for the whole region, he said dozens of MoUs have been signed between the two countries. Bilateral trade between Dubai and Israel in five months has been nearly $270 million, he pointed out.</p>

<p>Shukralla also highlighted examples of Morocco's Sahara being recognised by the US — which has been regarded as a national security matter. He also added the example of the US lifting sanctions from Sudan.</p>


Talking about the shift in relationships in West Asia at the WION Global Summit's session titled Peace Deals and the Shifting Sands of West Asia, Emirati news editor Ibrahim Shukralla, said he hopes Israel would not resume the annexation plan, as it would affect the peace plans.

Talking about the shift in relationships in West Asia at the WION Global Summit's session titled Peace Deals and the Shifting Sands of West Asia, Emirati news editor Ibrahim Shukralla, said he hopes Israel would not resume the annexation plan, as it would affect the peace plans. Highlighting the significance of the Abraham Accords, Shukralla said, "I think it's definitely going to boost the chances and it's providing more diplomatic tools, more policy options. We are talking about a fresh dialogue now. So, we have all these things on negotiating table that were not existing before. This is what UAE has been saying after the accords." Watch | He also talked about the profitability of the Abraham Accords. "If we are going to use the old methods with an old mentality which always failed...how would this gain progress if you are going to use the same thing every single time? I think the Abraham Accords was a historic event and obviously, the UAE and Palestine will always be the cornerstone of the UAE's foreign policy and I am sure foreign policy of most of the Arab states." Talking about the relationship with Israel, he said, "I see the profitability of the Abraham Accords for all the countries that normalise ties with Israel. During COVID, 13,000 Israelis tourists visited the UAE." About how this has been a big win for the whole region, he said dozens of MoUs have been signed between the two countries. Bilateral trade between Dubai and Israel in five months has been nearly $270 million, he pointed out. Shukralla also highlighted examples of Morocco's Sahara being recognised by the US — which has been regarded as a national security matter. He also added the example of the US lifting sanctions from Sudan.

'A big win for the region': Ibrahim Shukralla comments on Abraham Accords at WION Global Summit

<p>The life after the coronavirus pandemic ends is still something that not many people have been able to figure out,&nbsp;with a lot of countries experiencing second and third waves.</p>

<p>Talking about post-pandemic life at the WION Global Summit in Dubai, Alexander Downer, Australia's longest-serving Foreign Minister, said, "Covid won't go away. Hence, people will have to learn to live with it. Some things will return to as they were."</p>

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wion-global-summit-live-digital-revolution-is-the-world-ready-to-go-completely-online-372686" hreflang="en">LIVE: Digital Revolution — Is the world ready to go completely online?</a></h2>

<p>The shift of corporate life from office life to working from home has been widely accepted across the world. "Polls show people are working from home, but they don't always want to work from home," Downer said at the session titled <strong>World Economy: The Price of the Pandemic</strong>. "They've learnt the advantage of working from home."</p>

<p>Talking about the impact this will have on corporates, he said, "Corporate patterns will need less space, that will have an impact on commercial property market. Huge increase in government spending around the world is going to be interesting and the impact they will have on living standards."</p>

<p>Jacek Rostowski, former Finance Minister&nbsp;and former Deputy PM of Poland said, "As far as debts and monetary policy conditions are concerned, will it be possible to maintain the interest rates? If the interest rates rise sharply, then it will be a problem."</p>

<p>"We are really facing a bifurcation of two possible scenarios. One thing we do know is it's going to be surprising and politically dangerous," he said.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KjGrxBaISY"><strong>Watch |</strong></a></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7KjGrxBaISY" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>On the uncertainties in the post-pandemic world, Rostowski said, "It is seen&nbsp;most governments don't do too well when they come out of the first part of the pandemic and get into elections — the US being an important example."</p>

<p>"We still have a huge level of uncertainty around this epidemic... first of all at the medical level, so we don't know what the correct policy is," he added. "We have vaccines coming relatively fast but we also have variants coming. Markets have had to take a bet on what is likely to happen. It's wrong to say vaccines will be very effective very quickly."</p>

<p><strong>Also read&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wuhan-virus-and-the-travails-of-being-a-pro-china-lawmaker-372793" hreflang="en">'Wuhan virus' and the travails of being a pro-China lawmaker</a></strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIONGlobalSummit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIONGlobalSummit</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LIVE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LIVE</a> from Dubai<br />
<br />
Session 3 - World economy: The price of the pandemic<br />
Session 4 - Digital revolution: The world goes online <a href="https://t.co/WDInaQHy3m">https://t.co/WDInaQHy3m</a></p>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1374662025045938176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>Ian Goldin, former Vice President of the World Bank, pitched in about how the countries who have followed the guidelines and restrictions laid out by the World Health Organization (WHO) have been the ones who have faired well in this pandemic.</p>

<p>"Countries that followed WHO's guidelines have done well, countries that have the fiscal space have been the most effective," he said.</p>

<p>Goldin also used the stage to call for international solidarity amid this pandemic. "The pandemic has demonstrated that we need more multilateralism. One thing we have learnt is the need for international solidarity," he said.</p>

<p>Using the example of World War, he added, "I think this could be a crisis that would give a good wake-up call, but World war does teach us that unless we actually do wake up, we would be in a cycle."<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The life after the coronavirus pandemic ends is still something that not many people have been able to figure out, with a lot of countries experiencing second and third waves.

The life after the coronavirus pandemic ends is still something that not many people have been able to figure out, with a lot of countries experiencing second and third waves. Talking about post-pandemic life at the WION Global Summit in Dubai, Alexander Downer, Australia's longest-serving Foreign Minister, said, "Covid won't go away. Hence, people will have to learn to live with it. Some things will return to as they were." LIVE: Digital Revolution — Is the world ready to go completely online? The shift of corporate life from office life to working from home has been widely accepted across the world. "Polls show people are working from home, but they don't always want to work from home," Downer said at the session titled World Economy: The Price of the Pandemic. "They've learnt the advantage of working from home." Talking about the impact this will have on corporates, he said, "Corporate patterns will need less space, that will have an impact on commercial property market. Huge increase in government spending around the world is going to be interesting and the impact they will have on living standards." Jacek Rostowski, former Finance Minister and former Deputy PM of Poland said, "As far as debts and monetary policy conditions are concerned, will it be possible to maintain the interest rates? If the interest rates rise sharply, then it will be a problem." "We are really facing a bifurcation of two possible scenarios. One thing we do know is it's going to be surprising and politically dangerous," he said. Watch | On the uncertainties in the post-pandemic world, Rostowski said, "It is seen most governments don't do too well when they come out of the first part of the pandemic and get into elections — the US being an important example." "We still have a huge level of uncertainty around this epidemic... first of all at the medical level, so we don't know what the correct policy is," he added. "We have vaccines coming relatively fast but we also have variants coming. Markets have had to take a bet on what is likely to happen. It's wrong to say vaccines will be very effective very quickly." Also read | 'Wuhan virus' and the travails of being a pro-China lawmaker #WIONGlobalSummit | #LIVE from Dubai Session 3 - World economy: The price of the pandemic Session 4 - Digital revolution: The world goes online https://t.co/WDInaQHy3m — WION (@WIONews) March 24, 2021 × Ian Goldin, former Vice President of the World Bank, pitched in about how the countries who have followed the guidelines and restrictions laid out by the World Health Organization (WHO) have been the ones who have faired well in this pandemic. "Countries that followed WHO's guidelines have done well, countries that have the fiscal space have been the most effective," he said. Goldin also used the stage to call for international solidarity amid this pandemic. "The pandemic has demonstrated that we need more multilateralism. One thing we have learnt is the need for international solidarity," he said. Using the example of World War, he added, "I think this could be a crisis that would give a good wake-up call, but World war does teach us that unless we actually do wake up, we would be in a cycle."

WION Global Summit focuses on post-pandemic life and uncertainties

<p>Ranil Wickremesinghe, Former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, took the opportunity of speaking at WION Global Summit 2021 in Dubai to highlight the functioning of Quad and India's role in it.</p>

<p>Reminiscing the Trump-era, Wickremesinghe said, "Trump wanted it to be an organisation to confront China - like mini NATO". However, he appreciated the efforts of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who " looked at it as a way of free and inclusive Indo-Pacific.</p>

<p>Quad is interestingly cooperating on non-military aspects like Covid vaccines, he noted.</p>

<h2><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/live-wion-global-summit-china-building-artificial-islands-in-south-china-sea-says-japanese-state-defence-minister-372686" hreflang="en">Live — China building artificial islands in South China Sea: Japanese Minister</a></h2>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">"President Trump wanted <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Quad?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Quad</a> to be a kind of Asian NATO. PM Modi looked at it as a way of free and inclusive Indo-Pacific," says Ranil Wickremesinghe (<a href="https://twitter.com/RW_UNP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RW_UNP</a>), Former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIONGlobalSummit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIONGlobalSummit</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/palkisu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@palkisu</a> <a href="https://t.co/S5bgF04XIY">pic.twitter.com/S5bgF04XIY</a></p>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1374645533181014016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>He also talked about the coronavirus pandemic, which has taken millions of lives around the world since it started in Wuhan in December 2019.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/free-open-indo-pacific-key-to-stable-world-order-says-japanese-state-defence-minister-at-wion-global-summit-372769">Free, open Indo-Pacific key to stable world order, says Japanese state defence minister at WION Global Summit</a></strong></p>

<p>He alerted people to be safe as he believed the pandemic has not yet reached a stage where people can relax from the strict restrictions and precautions as the medical solution has not been achieved.</p>

<p>"We have not yet reached a stage for a medical solution to the pandemic. We are still at the pandemic stage. What happened so far will only give us an indication of the future," Wickremesinghe said during the second session of the <strong>WION Global summit titled The Post-Pandemic World Order.</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">"We have not yet reached a stage for medical solution to the pandemic. We are still at the pandemic stage. What happened so far will only give us an indication of the future," says Ranil Wickremesinghe (<a href="https://twitter.com/RW_UNP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RW_UNP</a>), Former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIONGlobalSummit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIONGlobalSummit</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/palkisu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@palkisu</a> <a href="https://t.co/eRCFDQrSJ9">pic.twitter.com/eRCFDQrSJ9</a></p>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1374636947189030915?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>"How we respond to the social and economic disruption caused by the pandemic will determine the outcome," he added.</p>

<p>Talking about the coronavirus and its origin,&nbsp;Wickremesinghe also said&nbsp;that while the rest of the countries are turning their back towards China, the UK is not giving a clear stance on its relationship with the Asian giant.</p>

<p>"UK wants to stand up to Chinese, but also trade with Chinese," he said.</p>

<p><strong>Watch the live coverage of the event&nbsp;here:</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WIONGlobalSummit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WIONGlobalSummit</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LIVE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LIVE</a> from Dubai<br />
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Session 3 - World economy: The price of the pandemic<br />
Session 4 - Digital revolution: The world goes online <a href="https://t.co/WDInaQHy3m">https://t.co/WDInaQHy3m</a></p>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1374662025045938176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Ranil Wickremesinghe, Former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, took the opportunity of speaking at WION Global Summit 2021 in Dubai to highlight the functioning of Quad and India's role in it.

Ranil Wickremesinghe, Former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, took the opportunity of speaking at WION Global Summit 2021 in Dubai to highlight the functioning of Quad and India's role in it. Reminiscing the Trump-era, Wickremesinghe said, "Trump wanted it to be an organisation to confront China - like mini NATO". However, he appreciated the efforts of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who " looked at it as a way of free and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Quad is interestingly cooperating on non-military aspects like Covid vaccines, he noted. Live — China building artificial islands in South China Sea: Japanese Minister "President Trump wanted #Quad to be a kind of Asian NATO. PM Modi looked at it as a way of free and inclusive Indo-Pacific," says Ranil Wickremesinghe (@RW_UNP), Former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka at #WIONGlobalSummit @palkisu pic.twitter.com/S5bgF04XIY — WION (@WIONews) March 24, 2021 × He also talked about the coronavirus pandemic, which has taken millions of lives around the world since it started in Wuhan in December 2019. Also read | Free, open Indo-Pacific key to stable world order, says Japanese state defence minister at WION Global Summit He alerted people to be safe as he believed the pandemic has not yet reached a stage where people can relax from the strict restrictions and precautions as the medical solution has not been achieved. "We have not yet reached a stage for a medical solution to the pandemic. We are still at the pandemic stage. What happened so far will only give us an indication of the future," Wickremesinghe said during the second session of the WION Global summit titled The Post-Pandemic World Order. "We have not yet reached a stage for medical solution to the pandemic. We are still at the pandemic stage. What happened so far will only give us an indication of the future," says Ranil Wickremesinghe (@RW_UNP), Former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka at #WIONGlobalSummit @palkisu pic.twitter.com/eRCFDQrSJ9 — WION (@WIONews) March 24, 2021 × "How we respond to the social and economic disruption caused by the pandemic will determine the outcome," he added. Talking about the coronavirus and its origin, Wickremesinghe also said that while the rest of the countries are turning their back towards China, the UK is not giving a clear stance on its relationship with the Asian giant. "UK wants to stand up to Chinese, but also trade with Chinese," he said. Watch the live coverage of the event here: #WIONGlobalSummit | #LIVE from Dubai Session 3 - World economy: The price of the pandemic Session 4 - Digital revolution: The world goes online https://t.co/WDInaQHy3m — WION (@WIONews) March 24, 2021 ×

Sri Lanka's former PM says UK wants to trade with, and stand up to, China at the same time

WION is India's first international news channel dedicated to putting forth India's perspective on impactful global issues and the annual conclave, WION Global Summit, is a platform for global leaders to come together at a single platform and have a dialogue on a common global agenda affecting the world - news that shook the world. This year we highlight the critical challenges of climate change, global governance, economic slowdown, and global crisis that threatens to become the new normal.

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