President Rodrigo Duterte and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been in talks to strengthen bilateral cooperation as both countries address the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic that continues to grapple both the Philippines and India.
Through their telephone conversation on Tuesday night, Duterte and Modi recognized the need and ooportunities for Manila and New Delhi to be partners in fighting Covid-19.
“The leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to harness international and bilateral cooperation to effectively address the coronavirus pandemic,” a statement from the Palace read.
As of Wednesday, the Philippines has reported 23,732 Covid-19 infections.
On the other hand, confirmed Covid-19 cases in India have already climbed to over 277,000.
“They also underscored the importance of sharing valuable lessons and best practices on addressing Covid-19,” Malacañang said.
The two leaders had agreed to further strengthen cooperation in the context of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) -India Dialogue Partnership.
In January 2018, Duterte held bilateral meeting with Modi in New Delhi when the Filipino leader attended the Asean-India Commemorative Summit and India’s Republic Day.
