Though the topic of his address is not yet clear, he is expected to speak on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing the nation at 6 PM today, he said in a tweet, urging people to listen to his address.

In a tweet, he wrote, “Will be sharing a message with my fellow citizens at 6 PM this evening.”


Although the topic of his address is not yet clear, he is expected to speak on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic at a time when India has reported the lowest cases in three months. India in the past 24 hours reported less than 50,000 cases at 46,790, lowest since July 28.

With the country in the middle of the festive season and with winter due to set in soon, health experts have, however, been cautioning against letting down guard and reiterating the need to continue practicing COVID-19 precautions.

India is meanwhile moving ahead in developing a vaccine against COVID-19. Speaking at the Grand Challenges Annual Meeting 2020 on Monday, he said more than 30 indigenous vaccines were being developed in India and three of them were at an advanced stage. The country was already putting in place a well-established vaccine delivery system, he added.

On October 15, PM Modi took stock of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s distribution and delivery mechanism including procurement, bulk-stockpiling, filling vials for distribution and delivery.

India has moved closer to phase-3 trials of the COVID-19 vaccine. India is expecting the results of the phase-2 trials of the two indigenous vaccine candidates Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Cadila Health’s ZyCovD by early November.

Similarly, the phase-3 trials of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine candidate which is being produced by the British company and Serum Institute of India will also become clear by November end or December this year.

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan had on Tuesday, hinted on the availability of a vaccine in India by early 2021.