PM dials leaders of Austria, Egypt and Qatar over Covid

NEWDELHI:Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday reached out to the leaders of Austria, Egypt and Qatar to discuss the Covid-19 crisis and steps to counter the coronavirus.

The telephone conversations were part of PM’s ongoing outreach to heads of government around the world to ensure the welfare of Indian expatriates and to bolster cooperation in the fight against Covid-19 and to address the economic fallout .

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen condoled the damage caused in India by cyclone Amphan and the two leaders exchanged views on steps taken in their countries to manage the health and economic impacts of the pandemic. They agreed on the importance of global collaboration to deal with current challenges and “reiterated their shared desire to further strengthen and diversify India-Austria relations in the post-Covid world”, the external affairs ministry said.

During his conversation with the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Modi conveyed greetings on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr and appreciated the personal care taken by the Amir for ensuring the welfare of Indian citizens amid the pandemic.

Modi also conveyed greetings for Eid-ul-Fitr to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, who expressed happiness at the fast expanding bilateral ties. Modi also expressed his appreciation for the support extended by Egyptian authorities for the safety and welfare of Indian nationals.HTC