Foreign secretary Shringla holds telephonic talks with top EU official on coronavirus pandemic

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Friday held a telephonic conversation with European Union's top official on external relations Helga M Schmid with a focus on ways to coordinate efforts to deal with the challenge of coronavirus pandemic.

Official sources said Shringla and Schimid, Secretary General of the European External Action Service, exchanged views on the fast evolving situation and respective efforts to deal with the pandemic in the European Union and India.

The two officials also explored ways for coordinating efforts to contain the pandemic under the framework multilateral bodies like G20 and SAARC.

Foreign Secretary expressed his deep sympathies on the losses due to COVID-19 in the EU region, the sources said.

Europe has been one of the hardest hit regions with the death toll due to the virus infection mounting at an alarming rate in countries like Spain, Italy, Germany and France among others.

The number of deaths due to the infection crossed 31,000, in these four countries alone. Globally, the virus has infected more than one million people and claimed around 50,000 lives.

India has recorded over 2,300 positive cases of coronavirus and at least 56 deaths so far.

Sources said Schimid appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiatives in the G20 and in SAARC to deal with the pandemic.

She thanked Shringla for all the support extended by India for the return of the nationals of EU countries and the Foreign Secretary reassured her of India's continued support in facilitating the return of EU nationals.

Recognising the valued strategic partnership between India and the EU, the two sides agreed to maintain contacts towards consultation and cooperation at the bilateral level as well as in the international context, sources said.