NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday told his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen that cooperation between like-minded countries in vaccine-development will help deal with COVID-19 pandemic.
In his opening remarks during the India – Denmark virtual bilateral summit, the Prime Minister also greeted Mette Frederiksen on her wedding and hoped that she will be able to visit the country at the earliest after situation created by COVID-19 improves.
“I congratulate you on your wedding recently and convey my good wishes. I hope that soon after the COVID-19 situation improves, we will get a chance to welcome you and your family in India. I am sure your daughter would be eager to visit India again,” he said.
The Danish Prime Minister conveyed her thanks to the Prime Minister during her speech for his greetings. “Thank you so much for the greetings to my family. My daughter will love to visit India once again and the same goes for my family,” she said. The Prime Minister said the events of the past few months have made it clear that how important it is for like-minded countries, who share rules-based, transparent, humanitarian and democratic value-system, to work together.
“Collaboration between like-minded countries in vaccine development will also help deal with the pandemic,” he said. The Prime Minister said that India’s pharma capabilities have been helpful for the world during the crisis created by COVID-19 and similar effort is being made in the direction of vaccine.
He also mentioned the reforms done by the government concerning labour laws and agriculture. “The effort of Atmanirbhar India is also that India’s capabilities increase in key areas and they are useful to the world. We are laying emphasis on all-round reforms under the initiative. The regulatory and taxation reforms will help companies working in India. The process of reforms is on in other areas. Recently important reforms were done in labour and agriculture,” he said.
Recalling the “very productive” telephonic them a few months back, he said they had discussed ways to expand the India-Denmark relations in several areas. “It is a matter of happiness that we are giving new direction and speed to these intentions through the virtual summit,” he said.
The Prime Minister said COVID-19 has shown that it is risky to have global supply chains dependent on a single source. He said India is working with Japan and Australia for supply-chain diversification and resilience and other like-minded countries can also join in this effort. COVID-19 originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan and many companies are planning to shift their manufacturing bases from China. (ANI)
