India and Portugal offered all possible help to each other in dealing with pandemic

In his bid to continue the process of diplomatic outreach with foreign leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held telephonic talks with his Portuguese counterpart Antonio Costa.

During the talks, the Prime Minister recalled the State Visit of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of Portugal to India in February.

The two leaders discussed the state of COVID-19 pandemic and the steps being taken by both countries to control its health and economic impact. The Prime Minister commended Prime Minister Costa for his effective handling of the crisis.

The leaders noted that proactive national measures were helpful in containing the spread of the virus. They offered all possible help to each other in dealing with the situation and agreed to collaborate on research and innovation aimed at fighting COVID-19.

The Prime Minister thanked Prime Minister Costa for extending validity of visas of Indian travellers to Portugal who could not return because of the lockdown. Prime Minister Costa expressed his appreciation for the facilitaiton provided by Indian authorities to Portuguese citizens in India.

The leaders agreed to remain in touch and consult each other on the evolving dimensions of the crisis as well as the post-Covid context.