Travellers from those countries would have to upload their test result on an India government website before their departure, the minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, wrote on Twitter today.

“This is being done in view of the evolving Covid-19 situation across the world, particularly in the aforesaid countries,” the health ministry said in a statement, adding that the test should be taken within 72 hours of travel to India.

The new requirement for a Covid test would be in addition to the random tests on 2% of all international passengers arriving in India.

India joins the US, Japan, Italy and Taiwan in imposing mandatory Covid tests for travellers from China, amid a Covid surge there after authorities relaxed strict “zero-Covid” rules.

Top health officials from the European Union are holding talks today to try to coordinate their different views on how to respond to China’s decision to lift its Covid-19 restrictions amid a wave of infections there.