India / PM Modi, French Prez Macron agree on sharing info on COVID-19

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday agreed that experts from the two countries would share information on ways to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

During a phone conversation, Macron agreed with Modi’s view that the Covid-19 crisis marked a “turning point in modern history, and offers the world an opportunity to forge a new human-centric concept of globalisation”, the external affairs ministry said.

“The leaders discussed the domestic and international aspects of the crisis, and underlined the importance of global collaboration and solidarity in the present situation,” the ministry said in a statement.

“They agreed that the expert teams of both countries would actively share information on measures to prevent the spread of the virus, and research on treatment and vaccines.”

The two leaders agreed the India-France partnership can contribute to “advancing a spirit of human-centric solidarity in the present difficult times”.

Modi also expressed his condolences to Macron for the loss of lives due to the ongoing pandemic.

The two leaders also underlined the “importance of not losing sight of other global concerns like climate change, which impact humanity as a whole”. They stressed the need to devote special attention to the needs of less developed countries, including those in Africa, during the current crisis.

Macron welcomed Modi’s suggestion that yoga offers a means of ensuring mental and physical well-being for people confined to their homes by the pandemic. He said yoga has been winning new practitioners in France.