Back to SAARC: On Modi’s video conference with leaders

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s choice to convene a video conference of leaders of the eight-member SAARC on Sunday represents a much-needed “out-of-the-box” thinking as the world faces the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic Pandemics do not recognise political borders, and in times of difficulty, reaching out to neighbouring countries is the most apparent course of action. To that end, the hour-long discussion with the leaders of Afghanistan, the Maldives, Bangladesh, Bhutan Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Special Assistant on Health to the Pakistan PM, came up with shared and unique viewpoints in dealing with the virus that has actually impacted 1,75,250 people and claimed over 6,700 lives worldwide. The conference saw Mr. Modi’s proposition for a COVID-19 emergency situation fund— India will contribute $10- million– in addition to a choice on technical task forces. Afghanistan and Pakistan have specific difficulties as they share long borders with Iran, which has actually emerged, after China and Italy, as a significant center of the virus. Bhutan, the Maldives, Ne