COVID19: Virtual seminars, online biz meetings on cards as India bars travellers from Korea, Japan, Italy, Iran, and China
NEW DELHI: The Show Must Go On, Come What May. With this spirit, the business community has resorted to virtual seminars and online meetings as the Indian government on Tuesday announced to suspend all visas issued to travelers from South Korea, Japan, Italy, Iran, and China countries following a major outbreak of novel coronavirus – COVID-19 there.
As the Indian government, Tuesday announced to allow ‘conditional’ entry of diplomats, officials of UN, other International bodies, OCI cardholders and aircrew from these countries subject to mandatory medical screening to protect its citizens from the deadly virus, entering into India for the business community is now not possible till further directions.
The physical movement of people from one country to another has come to almost standstill as the deadly virus spreads in almost all continents.
Organizations like Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), New Delhi is going to hold a virtual seminar Online Meeting Plaza Korea’s (OMPK) Premium Consumer Goods 2020 on March 18-19.
In this seminar, about 200 Korean companies and 30 companies from India and other southwestern Asia will participate online without their representatives having traveled physically to Korea. They would digitally discuss business prospects with their counterparts in Korea in cosmetics, fashion, food & beverages, home appliances, and hotels & restaurant industry using internet-based online audio-visual tools on their computer screens.
The KOTRA, Southwest Asia has invited India companies to participate in the Online Meeting Plaza Korea’s (OMPK) Premium Consumer Goods 2020 where they would also have the opportunity to have one-on-one online meetings to discuss business prospects with Korean companies.
For this, KOTRA has floated a web link www.southasia.micehub.com inviting the Indian companies to register, and avail meetings and seminar opportunities. The participants have like Korean economy and consumer markets, Business manners with Korea, CEPA and Q&A session
A number of Chinese companies have authorized their Indian representatives to initiate and close business deals with Indian counterparts in India as India has restricted people from China to enter India. A score of Chinese companies is sourcing medical equipment and masks these days from India and dealing with their counterparts using online/digital platforms like skype etc.
The corporate sector has reported huge financial losses due to cancellation of business meetings, cross country visits and signing of contracts as people from the affected countries have been barred from entering some countries including India.
More than 80 countries have barred entry of travelers from China, South Korea, and others where COVID-19 is spreading like wildfire.
Also read: Chinese companies lose more than USD 50M due to travel ban in India: Chinese Chamber
Wang Yonglin (Alen), Chairman, Chamber of Chinese Enterprises in India (CCEI) recently said Chinese enterprises suffered USD 50 million loss due to travel restrictions slapped by the Indian government against Chinese nationals.
Hardly 2000 Chinese nationals out of a total of 20,000 are left in India as rest who had gone to China to celebrate Chinese New Year early January are stuck in China and could not enter India.
India is taking stern measures to protect its citizens from the outbreak of coronavirus that has spread to most of the parts of the earth.
On Monday, two fresh cases of confirmed coronavirus patients were reported in India forcing it to announce strict travel restrictions against the nationals of the countries where the deadly virus is spreading fast.
Also read: CoVid19 Effect: Business meets canceled, foreign delegates avoid travel
