Modi, Bolsonaro discuss ways to jointly fight COVID-19

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Braziian President Jair Bolsonaro held a telephonic conversation on Saturday about the novel coronavirus and discussed how the two countries could join forces in combating the pandemic. Modi also had a telephonic discussion with US President Donald Trump earlier, during which the two leaders resolved to deploy the full strength of the India-US partnership to fight the deadly COVID-19 (coronavirus disease).

"Had a productive telephone conversation with President @jairbolsonaro about how India and Brazil can join forces against the COVID-19 pandemic," Modi tweeted. Bolsonaro also tweeted in Portuguese about his discussion with Prime Minister Modi, saying he requested for support in the continuity of the supply of pharmaceutical inputs for the production of anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine.

"We will spare no effort to save lives," the Brazilian president said. In the past few days, Modi has held a series of discussions over phone with several world leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron, Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and UK's Prince Charles. PTI ASK HMB