New Delhi, March 13: Heads of States part of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC), barring  backed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bid to jointly combat the coronavirus outbreak in the region. Modi's counterparts in Bhutan and Nepal, along with the Presidents of Sri Lanka and Maldives, have welcomed his initiative to pitch for a combined strategy to curtail COVID-19. Coronavirus Outbreak: PM Narendra Modi Invites SAARC Nation to Chalk Out Strong Strategy to Fight COVID-19.

"This is what we call leadership. As members of this region, we must come together in such times. Smaller economies are hit harder, so we must coordinate. With your leadership, I've no doubt we will see immediate and impactful outcome," Bhutan PM Lotay Tshering said.

"Thank you Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking the initiative on this important endeavor. COVID-19 requires collective effort to defeat it. Maldives welcomes this proposal and would fully support such a regional effort," said the statement issued by Maldives PM Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

What Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Said

Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli also appreciated the initiative taken by PM Modi to jointly combat the pandemic. "I welcome the idea advanced by PM Modi ji for chalking out a strong strategy by the leadership of the SAARC nations to fight coronavirus. My government is ready to work closely with SAARC Member States to protect our citizens from this deadly disease," he said.

PM Modi, earlier in the day, said a calibrated strategy designed on a global level could aid in combating the spread of coronavirus. "I would like to propose that the leadership of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations chalk out a strong strategy to fight Coronavirus. We could discuss, via video conferencing, ways to keep our citizens healthy," he said.

"At various levels, governments and people are trying their best to combat it. South Asia, which is home to a significant number of the global population should leave no stone unturned to ensure our people are healthy," Modi added.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 13, 2020 03:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).