Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a video conference with Heads of all Indian Embassies and High Commissions on Monday to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that extraordinary times require extraordinary solutions which was why most of the world had quarantined itself.

Prime Minister Modi said this was an unavoidable step taken to fight the pandemic. He pointed that the closure of the globalized system has had an extensive and far-reaching impact upon the international transport system, financial markets and the global economy.

Prime Minister complimented Heads of Missions for their efforts to evacuate Indians stranded abroad in some of the epicentres of the crisis. He also urged the participants in the video call to take steps to ensure their own health and safety, and that of their teams and families.

Prime Minister Modi asked them to attend to Indians who remain in various foreign countries, given the uncertainty of continuing international travel restrictions. He also asked them to stay and identify best practices, innovations, scientific breakthroughs and sources to procure medical equipment in the countries where they are posted.

Since this crisis also impacts upon the economy, the Prime Minister advised Heads of Mission to also focus on ensuring that commerce in essential supplies, logistics chains, remittances and so on are unaffected.

He asked them to continue to pay close attention to the evolving international political and economic situation.

In response, ten Heads of Mission in Beijing, Washington DC, Tehran, Rome, Berlin, Kathmandu, Abu Dhabi, Kabul, Male, and Seoul offered their perspectives to the Prime Minister.

The Heads of Missions outlined their efforts to help Indians stranded abroad, in particular, students and workers. They also reported efforts to identify medicines, medical devices, technology, research and other measures which might help India in the fight against COVID-19.

