Global criticism during COVID-19 hardened China's attitude towards world: Foreign Secretary Misri

Mumbai: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that during COVID-19, China felt blamed and stigmatised by the international community for the pandemic, leading to a harsh attitude toward the outside world and a draconian lockdown within its borders.

Speaking on Saturday at the Iqwat Global Business Conclave, an event organised by an association of Kashmiri Pandits.

Misri also recalled that he faced a major challenge during his posting in China as Ambassador, when India and China had an unprecedented confrontation in eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley.


For the first time in nearly 50 years, lives were lost on both sides at the Line of Actual Control, he noted.

What made it particularly challenging was that it happened at the height of COVID-19, which imposed limitations on interactions, understanding domestic perceptions in China and travelling back to Delhi, Misri said.

"Travel was extremely difficult. Anytime you flew out of China during COVID, returning meant a mandatory 21-day quarantine, 21 days of 'vanvaas' every time you visited Delhi for a day," the foreign secretary said.

There was shock all around, even on the Chinese side, recognising that something very serious had happened, he added.

"COVID had already created a lot of stress multilaterally, internationally, but also bilaterally because the Chinese felt they were being stigmatised and were being blamed for COVID-19," he said.

India never pointed fingers at China for the pandemic, Misri said. China, however, felt that the international community was determined to paint it black, he stated.

"So they had a very harsh response and harsh attitude to the international community in general for a while," he said, adding that it was also the reason for the "draconian lockdown" that China imposed on its citizens for a considerable time.

On Operation Sindoor, Misri said it was heartening to see how the entire government pulled together as a whole.

"We have not had too many instances where such a major, significant campaign involving so many important agencies of the government sees this kind of real-time coordination and activity," he added.

The foreign secretary also spoke about his Kashmiri Pandit roots.

"The Kashmiri DNA, the Kashmiriyat, everything that is bred in you, that you learn and absorb, has really been a very, very important part of my journey," he said.

"This DNA of resilience is what I have seen in every member of the community," he added.