India proposes online platform for SAARC to jointly combat coronavirus

India has proposed setting up of a common electronic platform for all SAARC nations to share expertise and best practices in jointly combatting the coronavirus pandemic. India made the proposal at a video-conference of senior health officials of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries on Thursday.

The SAARC is a regional grouping comprising Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. At an India-initiated video-conference of SAARC leaders on March 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had suggested that health professionals of the member nations could come together to jointly fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

"India proposed a shared electronic platform for all SAARC nations to share and exchange information, knowledge, expertise and best practices for jointly combatting the coronavirus epidemic," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement. It was informed that considerable work had already gone into the creation of the platform, which could also serve as a multipurpose vehicle to further discuss and conduct activities such as online training for emergency response personnel, the MEA said.

The Indian side proposed that till the electronic platform is fully operational, a network of experts representing the health services of all SAARC countries may be set up on email or WhatsApp to enable exchange of all relevant information on a real-time basis..