New Delhi, March 18: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held a telephone conversation with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, and emphasised the need for coordinated efforts to address the global challenge arising out of the coronavirus outbreak. Coronavirus Outbreak: Cases in US Rise Fivefold in One Week, Over 5,000 Confirmed COVID-19 Positive.

During the conversation, the Prime Minister mentioned about India''s recent initiative to organise a video conference among SAARC countries on the pandemic, a statement from the Prime Minister's Office said.

The two leaders agreed that a similar exercise at the level of G20 leaders, under the aegis of Saudi Arabia as the Chair of G20, would be useful at a global scale.

The exercise can be used to discuss specific measures to address the challenges posed by the global outbreak of COVID-19 and also to instil confidence in the global populace, the statement said.

Modi emphasised the need for coordinated efforts to adequately address this global challenge, which has impacted not only the health and well-being of several hundred thousand people but also threatens to adversely affect the economy in many parts of the world.