India welcomes Saudi-led coalition's ceasefire in Yemen

India on Friday welcomed the unilateral ceasefire in Yemen announced by the Saudi-backed coalition which has brightened hopes for an end to the five-year-old civil war in the country that has left around 100,000 people dead. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said India hoped that cessation of hostilities will eventually lead to peace and stability in Yemen.

"India welcomes the announcement of ceasefire and hopes that cessation of hostilities will lead to resumption of political dialogue leading to peace and stability in Yemen and the region," he said. "This will also help Yemen to join the global community to deal with COVID-19," he added.

The Saudi-led coalition is fighting Yemen's Houthi movement which fighting for the country's Zaidi Shia Muslim minority. The coalition announced halt in its operations for two weeks in support of United Nations efforts to bring peace to the country. The ceasefire came into effect on Friday afternoon.