'We've Come Through Test Of Fire': EAM S Jaishankar On India's Battle With COVID Second Wave

External Affair Minister S Jaishankar S Jaishankar spoke extensively about India's handling of the Coronavirus pandemic, highlighting the way the government handled the crisis.

New Delhi: External Affair Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday addressed the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) annual session 2021 via video conferencing.

The External Affair Minister addressed the 2-day CII Annual Meeting 2021 after the virtual event began on Wednesday with an address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

EAM S Jaishankar spoke extensively about India's handling of the Coronavirus pandemic by saying that during the initial outbreak "we stood out for 2 reasons - one, we were decisive and largely effective in what we did. COVID caught us when our health infrastructure was very rudimentary, especially in terms of what we needed to do for COVID".

"All of that was erected out of nothing at that time and everybody stepped forward, I think Industry did a magnificent job, the government did everything it could to motivate people to get everybody to understand the seriousness of what happened," he added as quoted by news agency ANI.

Stressing on India's initiatives in helping other nations, Jaishankar said: "We were one country that stepped out, helped others, sent out medicines, sent out medical teams, kept food supplies going for those for whom this was very important, as the Gulf. So there was a lot. Today I get expressions of gratitude for what we did during that period".

Talking further about the COVID crisis, the External Affair Minister stated "Initially, the world looked at us and wondered how any country could deal with this kind of caseload and severity of pandemic... Where we are today, I think the world understands and appreciates that we have pulled up our socks, shown national resolve. We've come through test of fire".

S Jaishankar then went on to acknowledge the world's support to India during the crisis of COVID second wave saying that "just like we helped others in the first wave, I think the world stood by us in many respects in the second wave, especially in terms of oxygen supply, oxygenators, medicines".

The theme for the CII Annual Meeting is 'India@75: Government and Business working together for Aatmanirbhar Bharat'.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who addressed the CII Annual Meeting 2021 on Wednesday, talked about the steps taken by the government that led to record FDI in India.
"Government stands by industry," PM Modi added while put out an optimistic view of the Indian economy now gathering pace.

On ending the retrospective tax, he said that his government "undid" a "mistake of the past".