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The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) on Saturday said its decision to fast-track development of a potential coronavirus vaccine was in line with international standards. This remark came after health experts raised concerns about the schedule for clinical trials.

The nodal agency issued a statement after a letter was leaked on Friday showing ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava as saying the agency “envisaged” launch of the vaccine for public health use by August 15, with the aim to begin patient enrolment for human trials by July 7.

The vaccine, being jointly developed by India’s Bharat Biotech and ICMR, is one of several candidates being tested globally to fight the coronavirus.

The ICMR's timeline drew criticism from health experts in India, who expressed concern the trials would compromise patient safety and ethics.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/scientists-strike-note-of-caution-as-made-in-india-vaccine-programme-gains-momentum-310719">Also read |&nbsp;Scientists strike note of caution as 'Made in India' vaccine programme gains momentum</a>

The ICMR’s statement said the leaked letter “was meant to cut unnecessary red tape, without bypassing any necessary process, and speed up recruitment of participants.” The aim was “to complete these phases at the earliest, so that population-based trials for efficacy could be initiated without delay," it added.

“In the larger public health interest, it is important for ICMR to expedite the clinical trials with a promising indigenous vaccine.

“ICMR’s process is exactly in accordance with the globally accepted norms to fast-track the vaccine development for diseases of pandemic potential wherein human and animal trials can continue in parallel.”

Vaccine trials usually take years to complete, though regulators have allowed testing on some potential vaccines to be fast-tracked in light of the public health emergency.

The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) on Saturday said its decision to fast-track development of a potential coronavirus vaccine was in line with international standards.

The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) on Saturday said its decision to fast-track development of a potential coronavirus vaccine was in line with international standards. This remark came after health experts raised concerns about the schedule for clinical trials. The nodal agency issued a statement after a letter was leaked on Friday showing ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava as saying the agency “envisaged” launch of the vaccine for public health use by August 15, with the aim to begin patient enrolment for human trials by July 7. The vaccine, being jointly developed by India’s Bharat Biotech and ICMR, is one of several candidates being tested globally to fight the coronavirus. The ICMR's timeline drew criticism from health experts in India, who expressed concern the trials would compromise patient safety and ethics. Also read | Scientists strike note of caution as 'Made in India' vaccine programme gains momentum The ICMR’s statement said the leaked letter “was meant to cut unnecessary red tape, without bypassing any necessary process, and speed up recruitment of participants.” The aim was “to complete these phases at the earliest, so that population-based trials for efficacy could be initiated without delay," it added. “In the larger public health interest, it is important for ICMR to expedite the clinical trials with a promising indigenous vaccine. “ICMR’s process is exactly in accordance with the globally accepted norms to fast-track the vaccine development for diseases of pandemic potential wherein human and animal trials can continue in parallel.” Vaccine trials usually take years to complete, though regulators have allowed testing on some potential vaccines to be fast-tracked in light of the public health emergency.

India's medical research body defends timeline for coronavirus vaccine trials

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has decided to name different wards of new Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel COVID-19 Hospital in Delhi after the Indian Army troops who lost their lives in the Galwan valley clash last month.

"In honour of Indian Army troops who lost their lives in the Galwan Valley Clash on June 15, DRDO has decided to name different wards of new Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel COVID-19 Hospital, Delhi after them," said Sanjeev Joshi who is the Technology Advisor to DRDO Chairman.

Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rajnaths-moscow-visit-russia-will-deliver-defence-equipment-in-two-to-three-months-308591">Rajnath's Moscow visit: Russia will deliver defence equipment in two to three months</a>

The centre is ready and is expected to be inaugurated by Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday.

The centre with 1,000 beds will also have specialised intensive care unit beds and will be fully air-conditioned. The ICU and Ventilator Ward in the hospital has been named as Col B Santosh Babu Ward.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-modi-in-ladakh-prime-minister-makes-clash-a-personal-battle-310585/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Meanwhile, Delhi's biggest COVID-19 care centre has been erected at the premises of the Radha Soami Satsang Beas in Chhatarpur area, located near the Delhi-Haryana border, has the capacity to house and treat 10,000 coronavirus patients at the same time.

More than 2,000 Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and other Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel, including doctors, are managing operations at the hospital.

The development comes on the day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Leh in Ladakh where 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives in a violent face-off in the Galwan valley on June 15-16 after an attempt by the Chinese troops to unilaterally change the status quo during the de-escalation.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has decided to name different wards of new Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel COVID-19 Hospital in Delhi after the Indian Army troops who lost their lives in the Galwan valley clash last month.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has decided to name different wards of new Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel COVID-19 Hospital in Delhi after the Indian Army troops who lost their lives in the Galwan valley clash last month. "In honour of Indian Army troops who lost their lives in the Galwan Valley Clash on June 15, DRDO has decided to name different wards of new Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel COVID-19 Hospital, Delhi after them," said Sanjeev Joshi who is the Technology Advisor to DRDO Chairman. Also read| Rajnath's Moscow visit: Russia will deliver defence equipment in two to three months The centre is ready and is expected to be inaugurated by Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday. The centre with 1,000 beds will also have specialised intensive care unit beds and will be fully air-conditioned. The ICU and Ventilator Ward in the hospital has been named as Col B Santosh Babu Ward. Meanwhile, Delhi's biggest COVID-19 care centre has been erected at the premises of the Radha Soami Satsang Beas in Chhatarpur area, located near the Delhi-Haryana border, has the capacity to house and treat 10,000 coronavirus patients at the same time. More than 2,000 Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and other Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel, including doctors, are managing operations at the hospital. The development comes on the day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Leh in Ladakh where 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives in a violent face-off in the Galwan valley on June 15-16 after an attempt by the Chinese troops to unilaterally change the status quo during the de-escalation.

DRDO to name its COVID-19 hospital wards after soldiers killed in Galwan clash

The World Health Organization (WHO) has praised the Indian government for its efforts in tackling COVID-19, but has also said New Delhi should focus on data management originating from the pandemic too.

According to WHO, India's big challenge is "population", its geographic diversity, heterogeneity and the fact that it has multiple epidemics going on every state.

WHO appreciated the Indian government's strong political leadership to focus on important things like developing diagnostics and being able to scale that up, also being very systematic about the lockdown measures and unlocking in an organised manner.

This is now the next phase India and many other countries are facing and should think about a long-term strategy, says WHO.

In an interview with news agency ANI, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist at WHO, said, "The Government of India took extremely serious steps from the beginning and put in place certain measures in January itself based on the WHO recommendations. Today, India is doing more than 200 thousand tests a day. Now, India is developing testing kits. It is a big achievement for India that in the last couple of months as India has become self-sufficient in testing kits and being able to scale up."

"However, I would like to say that there should be a focus on data. By that, I mean that we need to have a systematic approach to looking at the data."

She said that the moment people start focussing on the total number of cases and the total number of deaths -- it gives only a part of the story.

"There needs to be some kind of national guidelines on how you report data. Otherwise, you cannot compare. Everybody is reporting things in different ways," she said citing an example that WHO has recommended certain criteria that the government can use to assess where the epidemic is.

She said that the first thing one must know is the epidemiology of the disease, i.e. where and what is the number of cases per million population and it all depends upon the tests.

"If we do not test, we are not going to find the case. Reporting of the case alone is not sufficient. We need to know how many tests have been done. Most importantly, we need to know the test positivity rate. This should be under 5 per cent. We also need to know the percentage of positivity of disease surveillance. SARI and ILI surveillance should be under 5 per cent. Then, we need to keep track of the doubling time," Dr Swaminathan stated.

"So, instead of focusing only on numbers, all we need to know things like -- how the epidemiology is going. Is it going up or down or it is on a plateau. That is what we need to know," said the WHO Chief Scientist.

Highlighting the importance of public health capacities in India, Dr Swaminathan said that it is very important to know how many contacts are traced for every case and how many of them are quarantined and within what period of time.

Dr Swaminathan explained, "If you can do it within 48 to 72 hours, then only it is helpful. There is no point tracing contact after 10 days. It is too late. As soon as cases are detected, we have to trace the contact and the higher the number of contacts you trace, the higher number you can put in quarantine is better. This shows how well our public health system is doing."

"Then we have another set of criteria in our clinical care is that to know what is the bed capacity for mild/severe cases, what is the ICU occupancy and then, of course, the death rate. The death has to be calculated properly because deaths follow after two or three weeks of the occupancy. You take as a numerator the number of deaths and denominators should be the number of cases you have two weeks ago, not today. That actually reflects your mortality rate/case fatality rate," she said.

Epidemiological parameters to detect the prevalence of antibodies in the community are essential to know the trend. "Like the ICMR did serosurvey-- something you need to do periodically to see how much of the population has been exposed."

She added, "We need to have a dashboard of criteria which every state should have and it helps every state to monitor how they are doing. This also helps to compare data across the states and the government can give more resources to those states which need more strengthening, like in terms of bed shortage, ICU."

Another important thing that Dr Swaminathan highlighted that healthcare system should also provide other services.

According to the Union Health Ministry, as of July 4, India has reported 6,48,315 confirmed cases and 18,655 deaths due to coronavirus.

(with inputs from ANI)

The World Health Organization (WHO) has praised the Indian government for its efforts in tackling COVID-19, but has also said New Delhi should focus on data management originating from the pandemic too.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has praised the Indian government for its efforts in tackling COVID-19, but has also said New Delhi should focus on data management originating from the pandemic too. According to WHO, India's big challenge is "population", its geographic diversity, heterogeneity and the fact that it has multiple epidemics going on every state. WHO appreciated the Indian government's strong political leadership to focus on important things like developing diagnostics and being able to scale that up, also being very systematic about the lockdown measures and unlocking in an organised manner. This is now the next phase India and many other countries are facing and should think about a long-term strategy, says WHO. In an interview with news agency ANI, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist at WHO, said, "The Government of India took extremely serious steps from the beginning and put in place certain measures in January itself based on the WHO recommendations. Today, India is doing more than 200 thousand tests a day. Now, India is developing testing kits. It is a big achievement for India that in the last couple of months as India has become self-sufficient in testing kits and being able to scale up." "However, I would like to say that there should be a focus on data. By that, I mean that we need to have a systematic approach to looking at the data." She said that the moment people start focussing on the total number of cases and the total number of deaths -- it gives only a part of the story. "There needs to be some kind of national guidelines on how you report data. Otherwise, you cannot compare. Everybody is reporting things in different ways," she said citing an example that WHO has recommended certain criteria that the government can use to assess where the epidemic is. She said that the first thing one must know is the epidemiology of the disease, i.e. where and what is the number of cases per million population and it all depends upon the tests. "If we do not test, we are not going to find the case. Reporting of the case alone is not sufficient. We need to know how many tests have been done. Most importantly, we need to know the test positivity rate. This should be under 5 per cent. We also need to know the percentage of positivity of disease surveillance. SARI and ILI surveillance should be under 5 per cent. Then, we need to keep track of the doubling time," Dr Swaminathan stated. "So, instead of focusing only on numbers, all we need to know things like -- how the epidemiology is going. Is it going up or down or it is on a plateau. That is what we need to know," said the WHO Chief Scientist. Highlighting the importance of public health capacities in India, Dr Swaminathan said that it is very important to know how many contacts are traced for every case and how many of them are quarantined and within what period of time. Dr Swaminathan explained, "If you can do it within 48 to 72 hours, then only it is helpful. There is no point tracing contact after 10 days. It is too late. As soon as cases are detected, we have to trace the contact and the higher the number of contacts you trace, the higher number you can put in quarantine is better. This shows how well our public health system is doing." "Then we have another set of criteria in our clinical care is that to know what is the bed capacity for mild/severe cases, what is the ICU occupancy and then, of course, the death rate. The death has to be calculated properly because deaths follow after two or three weeks of the occupancy. You take as a numerator the number of deaths and denominators should be the number of cases you have two weeks ago, not today. That actually reflects your mortality rate/case fatality rate," she said. Epidemiological parameters to detect the prevalence of antibodies in the community are essential to know the trend. "Like the ICMR did serosurvey-- something you need to do periodically to see how much of the population has been exposed." She added, "We need to have a dashboard of criteria which every state should have and it helps every state to monitor how they are doing. This also helps to compare data across the states and the government can give more resources to those states which need more strengthening, like in terms of bed shortage, ICU." Another important thing that Dr Swaminathan highlighted that healthcare system should also provide other services. According to the Union Health Ministry, as of July 4, India has reported 6,48,315 confirmed cases and 18,655 deaths due to coronavirus. (with inputs from ANI)

WHO praises India for efforts in handling COVID-19, but says it needs guidelines on how to report data

A man in Pune paid about $4,000 for a bespoke gold face mask to protect him from the coronavirus raging in the country.&nbsp;

The precious metal covering weighs 60 grams and took craftsmen eight days to make.

Businessman Shankar Kurhade, from the western city of Pune, told AFP: "It is a thin mask and has tiny pores that is helping me to breathe."

When going out, the 49-year-old said he likes to adorn himself with gold jewellery weighing a kilogramme, including a bracelet, necklace and rings on each finger of his right hand.&nbsp;

<img alt="Gold mask" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="61b9da46-410c-4dc7-bf6c-d5375decde79" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/gold%20mask%20afp%202.jpg" />

"I am not sure if it will be effective to protect me from a coronavirus infection but I am taking other precautions," he added.&nbsp;

Kurhade said he got the idea for the gold face mask after seeing a media report about a man wearing one made from silver.&nbsp;

India has made face masks mandatory in public places in a bid to control the spread of the virus in the country, which has around 650,000 confirmed cases and more than 18,600 fatalities. &nbsp;

A man in Pune paid about $4,000 for a bespoke gold face mask to protect him from the coronavirus raging in the country. The precious metal covering weighs 60 grams and took craftsmen eight days to make.

A man in Pune paid about $4,000 for a bespoke gold face mask to protect him from the coronavirus raging in the country. The precious metal covering weighs 60 grams and took craftsmen eight days to make. Businessman Shankar Kurhade, from the western city of Pune, told AFP: "It is a thin mask and has tiny pores that is helping me to breathe." When going out, the 49-year-old said he likes to adorn himself with gold jewellery weighing a kilogramme, including a bracelet, necklace and rings on each finger of his right hand. "I am not sure if it will be effective to protect me from a coronavirus infection but I am taking other precautions," he added. Kurhade said he got the idea for the gold face mask after seeing a media report about a man wearing one made from silver. India has made face masks mandatory in public places in a bid to control the spread of the virus in the country, which has around 650,000 confirmed cases and more than 18,600 fatalities.

Indian man wears gold face mask to ward off coronavirus

India will commemorate 'Dharma Chakra Day' on Saturday. Ministry of Culture to host Buddhist monks from 20 countries. Indian PM Narendra Modi to speak on this virtual event.

India to commemorate 'Dharma Chakra Day', to host Buddhist monks from 20 countries

Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook a surprise visit to eastern Ladakh on Friday to meet troops amid a Sino-India military standoff.

PM Modi, who was accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief M M Naravane, interacted with personnel of the Army, Air Force and ITBP.

PM Modi told the soldiers injured in the violent face-off with Chinese troops in Ladakh's Galwan Valley last month that they gave a befitting reply. Interacting with the injured personnel at an Army hospital in Leh, he said their bravery will be a source of inspiration for times to come.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-modi-in-ladakh-prime-minister-makes-clash-a-personal-battle-310585/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Today's visit sent out a clear message to China that India is prepared to take on any threat. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-china-face-off-your-courage-is-higher-than-the-mountains-pm-modi-to-indian-troops-at-ladakh-310351">Also Read: Your courage is higher than the mountains, PM Modi to Indian troops at Ladakh</a>

Launching a firm and veiled swipe at Beijing, PM Modi said that the country has neither bowed before any power of the world nor will it ever do so.

The Indian Prime Minister is facing China challenge head-on. After India imposed a ban on 59 Chinese apps. Modi exited Chinese social media websites by deleting his accounts. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-china-standoff-no-party-should-escalate-tensions-says-china-as-pm-modi-visits-ladakh-310408">Also Read: No party should escalate tensions, says China as PM Modi visits Ladakh</a>

The sudden Ladakh visit caught Beijing by surprise. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters that, "China and India are in communication with each other through military and diplomatic channels. Neither side should make any move that may complicate the border situation."

The standoff against China is not ending soon, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit shows that India is ready to dig in for a long haul.

(With inputs from PTI)

&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook a surprise visit to eastern Ladakh on Friday to meet troops amid a Sino-India military standoff. PM Modi, who was accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief M M Naravane, interacted with personnel of the Army, Air Force and ITBP.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook a surprise visit to eastern Ladakh on Friday to meet troops amid a Sino-India military standoff. PM Modi, who was accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief M M Naravane, interacted with personnel of the Army, Air Force and ITBP. PM Modi told the soldiers injured in the violent face-off with Chinese troops in Ladakh's Galwan Valley last month that they gave a befitting reply. Interacting with the injured personnel at an Army hospital in Leh, he said their bravery will be a source of inspiration for times to come. Today's visit sent out a clear message to China that India is prepared to take on any threat. Also Read: Your courage is higher than the mountains, PM Modi to Indian troops at Ladakh Launching a firm and veiled swipe at Beijing, PM Modi said that the country has neither bowed before any power of the world nor will it ever do so. The Indian Prime Minister is facing China challenge head-on. After India imposed a ban on 59 Chinese apps. Modi exited Chinese social media websites by deleting his accounts. Also Read: No party should escalate tensions, says China as PM Modi visits Ladakh The sudden Ladakh visit caught Beijing by surprise. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters that, "China and India are in communication with each other through military and diplomatic channels. Neither side should make any move that may complicate the border situation." The standoff against China is not ending soon, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit shows that India is ready to dig in for a long haul. (With inputs from PTI)

India-China standoff: PM Narendra Modi's Ladakh visit gives a clear message to Beijing

Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook a surprise visit to eastern Ladakh on Friday to meet troops amid a Sino-India military standoff.

PM Modi, who was accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief M M Naravane, interacted with personnel of the Army, Air Force and ITBP.

While visits to a front may be unusual for an Indian leader, it is almost a tradition for the leaders of the West. From Eisenhower to Tony Blair and Donald Trump, leaders have often visited fronts. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-china-standoff-pm-narendra-modis-ladakh-visit-gives-a-clear-message-to-beijing-310522">Also Read: PM Narendra Modi's Ladakh visit gives a clear message to Beijing</a>

The advantages of these visits outweigh the risk. George W Bush was the first US president to land in Iraq and that too just months after Saddam Hussein's statue was toppled.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-modis-visit-to-ladakh-why-do-leaders-visit-war-zones-310586/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Bush was supposed to be at his ranch in Texas, but no one, including the people on board his Air Force 1, knew that the president was headed to a high tension front - Baghdad. This Thanksgiving visit gave a much-needed morale boost to the US troops. 
&nbsp; 
Recent US presidents have made repeated visits to Afghanistan. Obama travelled there multiple times, Trump's visit to Afghanistan this Thanksgiving Day, gave the troops a much-needed pat on the back. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-china-face-off-your-courage-is-higher-than-the-mountains-pm-modi-to-indian-troops-at-ladakh-310351">Also Read: Your courage is higher than the mountains, PM Modi to Indian troops at Ladakh</a>

These visits are also important for their message to the enemy, the world, and also the people back home. The very fact that the leader is standing there, besides his troops, speaks a thousand words.

In India, the President the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and not the Prime Minister. But &nbsp;Modi'svisit to Ladakh may have started a new tradition. It reflects daring leadership and the willingness to take risks. It is a hallmark of trust between the Armed Forces and the leadership.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook a surprise visit to eastern Ladakh on Friday to meet troops amid a Sino-India military standoff. PM Modi, who was accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief M M Naravane, interacted with personnel of the Army, Air Force and ITBP. While visits to a front may be unusual for an Indian leader, it is almost a tradition for the leaders of the West. From Eisenhower to Tony Blair and Donald Trump, leaders have often visited fronts. Also Read: PM Narendra Modi's Ladakh visit gives a clear message to Beijing The advantages of these visits outweigh the risk. George W Bush was the first US president to land in Iraq and that too just months after Saddam Hussein's statue was toppled. Bush was supposed to be at his ranch in Texas, but no one, including the people on board his Air Force 1, knew that the president was headed to a high tension front - Baghdad. This Thanksgiving visit gave a much-needed morale boost to the US troops. Recent US presidents have made repeated visits to Afghanistan. Obama travelled there multiple times, Trump's visit to Afghanistan this Thanksgiving Day, gave the troops a much-needed pat on the back. Also Read: Your courage is higher than the mountains, PM Modi to Indian troops at Ladakh These visits are also important for their message to the enemy, the world, and also the people back home. The very fact that the leader is standing there, besides his troops, speaks a thousand words. In India, the President the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and not the Prime Minister. But Modi'svisit to Ladakh may have started a new tradition. It reflects daring leadership and the willingness to take risks. It is a hallmark of trust between the Armed Forces and the leadership.

Why do leaders visit warzones?

The coronavirus pandemic has triggered global uncertainly and China is looking to benefit from that. Chinese president Xi Jinping has betrayed allies to push his expansionist plans and is using money to buy global influence.&nbsp;

On the other hand, India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is building alliances helping the world with medical supplies.&nbsp;

The Chinese president tackled the worst health crisis in a century by staying out of the public eye, wherein Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has addressed the country at least five times since the Wuhan virus reached India.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/why-do-leaders-visit-warzones-310528">Also Read:&nbsp;Why do leaders visit warzones?</a> 
 
From the announcement of the lockdown to the unveiling of the economic package, Prime Minister Modi has been at the front and centre of India's response.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-stark-contrast-between-xi-jinping-narendra-modi-310582/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

India stood by China as a friend at a time when the coronavirus crisis was at its peak and even provided them with 15 tonnes of medical supplies. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-china-standoff-pm-narendra-modis-ladakh-visit-gives-a-clear-message-to-beijing-310522">Also Read: PM Narendra Modi's Ladakh visit gives a clear message to Beijing</a>

In return, Chinese forces clashed with Indian Army personnel along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladhak.&nbsp;20 Indian soldiers were killed in action in a 'violent faceoff' with Chinese troops.

At a time when there is a trust deficit in global leadership, Narendra Modi has tried to shape India's position as a global consensus builder.&nbsp;Between March and May, PM Modi spoke to several world leaders.&nbsp;He convened the SAARC leaders’ video conference and also participated in the G20 Leaders’ Summit virtually.

While Xi Jinping has used the pandemic to embark on a global campaign to amass more power, India’s PM Narendra Modi approach to COVID-19 has reaffirmed India's position as a steady partner in an hour of crisis.&nbsp;

&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The coronavirus pandemic has triggered global uncertainly and China is looking to benefit from that. Chinese president Xi Jinping has betrayed allies to push his expansionist plans and is using money to buy global influence.

The coronavirus pandemic has triggered global uncertainly and China is looking to benefit from that. Chinese president Xi Jinping has betrayed allies to push his expansionist plans and is using money to buy global influence. On the other hand, India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is building alliances helping the world with medical supplies. The Chinese president tackled the worst health crisis in a century by staying out of the public eye, wherein Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has addressed the country at least five times since the Wuhan virus reached India. Also Read: Why do leaders visit warzones? From the announcement of the lockdown to the unveiling of the economic package, Prime Minister Modi has been at the front and centre of India's response. India stood by China as a friend at a time when the coronavirus crisis was at its peak and even provided them with 15 tonnes of medical supplies. Also Read: PM Narendra Modi's Ladakh visit gives a clear message to Beijing In return, Chinese forces clashed with Indian Army personnel along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladhak. 20 Indian soldiers were killed in action in a 'violent faceoff' with Chinese troops. At a time when there is a trust deficit in global leadership, Narendra Modi has tried to shape India's position as a global consensus builder. Between March and May, PM Modi spoke to several world leaders. He convened the SAARC leaders’ video conference and also participated in the G20 Leaders’ Summit virtually. While Xi Jinping has used the pandemic to embark on a global campaign to amass more power, India’s PM Narendra Modi approach to COVID-19 has reaffirmed India's position as a steady partner in an hour of crisis.

PM Narendra Modi vs Xi Jinping: How are they different in dealing with challenges?

India's COVID-19 vaccine programme has gained sudden traction but it is imperative to strike a balance between giving it high priority and rushing into a process that takes months, even years, several scientists said on Saturday, a day after the ICMR announced it envisaged a preventive by next month.

There was hope but caution too as the Indian Council of Medical Research on Friday said it aims to launch the world's first COVID-19 vaccine by August 15. The same day, Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila announced it has got the Drugs Controller General of India's (DCGI) nod for human clinical trials for a potential vaccine.

"Fast tracking a vaccine trial in four weeks for safety, immunogenicity and efficacy is just not possible if things are to be done correctly," Shahid Jameel, virologist and CEO of the Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance, a public charity that invests in building biomedical sciences and health research framework, told PTI.

Immunogenicity"is the ability of a foreign substance, such as an antigen, to provoke an immune response in the body of a human or other animal, he explained.&nbsp;

Virologist Upasana Ray added that an accelerated launch or promise for launch of a vaccine against the novel coronavirus deserves applause but it is important to ask whether "we are rushing too much".

"We must rush albeit carefully. Giving this project high priority is absolutely important. However, excess pressure might not necessarily lead to a positive product for public use," the senior scientist at CSIR-IICB, Kolkata, told PTI.

India's premier medical body ICMR has said 12 clinical trial sites for the indigenous Covaxin,"being developed in collaboration with the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech and the National Institute of Virology (NIV), have been identified.

It asked medical institutions and principal investigators to ensure that the subject enrolment is initiated no later than July 7.

"It is envisaged to launch the vaccine for public health use latest by August 15 after completion of all clinical trials," ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava said in his letter to the principal investigators of the 12 sites. The tone of the letter and the haste it indicated had some scientists worried. They questioned the timeline of the announcement mentioned in the letter, and advised against subverting the due vaccine development process.

The ICMR 'letter' is, to say the least, a deeply inappropriate letter, in tone and content, both in terms of the integrity of due processes of product development, and in terms of technically realistic estimates, immunologist Satyajit Rath told PTI.

Vaccine development is a multi-phase process. Phase 1 trials are small-scale, usually involving few participants, to assess whether the vaccine is safe for humans.

Phase 2 trials often involve several hundred subjects, and mainly evaluate the efficacy. 
The final phase involves thousands of people to further assess the efficacy of the vaccine over a defined period of time, and can last several months.

Ray added that a vaccine normally takes at least 12-18 months to pass all necessary clinical trial phases.

"From now till August 15, the company has just over a months' time to wrap up everything that normally a vaccine development process requires for releasing a vaccine for clinical use," she said.

"How can such a sharp timeline be even decided? Where does the evidence come from that by such a short time all the essential steps will be completed? What about the safety and efficacy, the fundamental steps of any drug development? Have even the pre-clinical studies been completed. Too much rush comes with possible risks," she said.&nbsp;

Ray noted that there are some broad mandatory steps for developing a vaccine. Preclinical tests in small animals and mammals, she stressed, are essential to assess neutralising antibody titers and that itself can take at least a month or two.

A titer is a laboratory test that measures the presence and amount of antibodies in blood.

"Next, we check for safety. Then is the human trial. Even if we are in a deep rush we have to wait for some time for immunised individuals to start generating antibodies. After that a population needs to be monitored over time to investigate if people are still being infected," she explained.

Skipping steps could either be dangerous or lead to poor product, Ray said.

"We must not compromise with the standard, the quality. We don't need to be the first to launch a drug but what we need is a Made in India vaccine that the entire world can rely on," she added.

The vaccine landscape in India has been also bolstered after the approval for Zydus Cadila's vaccine candidate. It was fast-tracked following a recommendation by the subject expert committee on COVID-19, considering the emergency and unmet medical need during the pandemic.

"DCGI Dr V G Somani has given approval for the phase I and II clinical trials (on humans) of the potential novel coronavirus vaccine developed by Zydus Cadila Healthcare Ltd on Thursday after its animal studies were found to be successful," an official source said.

Jameel, winner of"the"2000"Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology,"one of the highest Indian science awards, noted that"it is a vaccine funded by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and the Department of Biotechnology.

"Congratulations to Cadilla, BIRAC and DBT. We would look forward to properly conducted trials and good news in due course," he told PTI.&nbsp;

"I am glad that a locally made vaccine candidate is making the same progress that others elsewhere in the world are making, not just with SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates but with DNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates, and I will look forward to the results," added Rath from Delhi's National Institute of Immunology (NII). Gautam I. Menon, professor from the Departments of Physics and Biology at Ashoka University, said"Zydus Cadila's vaccine appears to have shown safety and efficacy in animal trials and so they have been allowed to go to the next step, to human trials.

"This is the standard procedure. It is the human trials that are time-consuming and it is important to get this right," Menon told PTI. In another development, Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla told The Tribune newspaper that the Covid-19 vaccine being developed at the University of Oxford will hit the market by the year-end.&nbsp;

ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 is made from a virus (ChAdOx1), which is a weakened version of a common cold virus (adenovirus) that causes infections in chimpanzees, and has been genetically changed so that it is impossible for it to reproduce in humans. "I think it is likely that the ChAdOx1-S vaccine candidate which has entered a phase 3 clinical trial in Brazil, will give at least somewhat promising results by late this calendar year," Rath said.

"Whether this will lead to the 'vaccine' becoming available in the market, and in the public health system, more importantly, by the end of this calendar year in India is much more uncertain, Mr Poonawala's welcome optimism notwithstanding," he added. 
&nbsp;

India's COVID-19 vaccine programme has gained sudden traction but it is imperative to strike a balance between giving it high priority and rushing into a process that takes months, even years, several scientists said on Saturday, a day after the ICMR announced it envisaged a preventive by next month.

India's COVID-19 vaccine programme has gained sudden traction but it is imperative to strike a balance between giving it high priority and rushing into a process that takes months, even years, several scientists said on Saturday, a day after the ICMR announced it envisaged a preventive by next month. There was hope but caution too as the Indian Council of Medical Research on Friday said it aims to launch the world's first COVID-19 vaccine by August 15. The same day, Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila announced it has got the Drugs Controller General of India's (DCGI) nod for human clinical trials for a potential vaccine. "Fast tracking a vaccine trial in four weeks for safety, immunogenicity and efficacy is just not possible if things are to be done correctly," Shahid Jameel, virologist and CEO of the Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance, a public charity that invests in building biomedical sciences and health research framework, told PTI. Immunogenicity"is the ability of a foreign substance, such as an antigen, to provoke an immune response in the body of a human or other animal, he explained. Virologist Upasana Ray added that an accelerated launch or promise for launch of a vaccine against the novel coronavirus deserves applause but it is important to ask whether "we are rushing too much". "We must rush albeit carefully. Giving this project high priority is absolutely important. However, excess pressure might not necessarily lead to a positive product for public use," the senior scientist at CSIR-IICB, Kolkata, told PTI. India's premier medical body ICMR has said 12 clinical trial sites for the indigenous Covaxin,"being developed in collaboration with the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech and the National Institute of Virology (NIV), have been identified. It asked medical institutions and principal investigators to ensure that the subject enrolment is initiated no later than July 7. "It is envisaged to launch the vaccine for public health use latest by August 15 after completion of all clinical trials," ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava said in his letter to the principal investigators of the 12 sites. The tone of the letter and the haste it indicated had some scientists worried. They questioned the timeline of the announcement mentioned in the letter, and advised against subverting the due vaccine development process. The ICMR 'letter' is, to say the least, a deeply inappropriate letter, in tone and content, both in terms of the integrity of due processes of product development, and in terms of technically realistic estimates, immunologist Satyajit Rath told PTI. Vaccine development is a multi-phase process. Phase 1 trials are small-scale, usually involving few participants, to assess whether the vaccine is safe for humans. Phase 2 trials often involve several hundred subjects, and mainly evaluate the efficacy. The final phase involves thousands of people to further assess the efficacy of the vaccine over a defined period of time, and can last several months. Ray added that a vaccine normally takes at least 12-18 months to pass all necessary clinical trial phases. "From now till August 15, the company has just over a months' time to wrap up everything that normally a vaccine development process requires for releasing a vaccine for clinical use," she said. "How can such a sharp timeline be even decided? Where does the evidence come from that by such a short time all the essential steps will be completed? What about the safety and efficacy, the fundamental steps of any drug development? Have even the pre-clinical studies been completed. Too much rush comes with possible risks," she said. Ray noted that there are some broad mandatory steps for developing a vaccine. Preclinical tests in small animals and mammals, she stressed, are essential to assess neutralising antibody titers and that itself can take at least a month or two. A titer is a laboratory test that measures the presence and amount of antibodies in blood. "Next, we check for safety. Then is the human trial. Even if we are in a deep rush we have to wait for some time for immunised individuals to start generating antibodies. After that a population needs to be monitored over time to investigate if people are still being infected," she explained. Skipping steps could either be dangerous or lead to poor product, Ray said. "We must not compromise with the standard, the quality. We don't need to be the first to launch a drug but what we need is a Made in India vaccine that the entire world can rely on," she added. The vaccine landscape in India has been also bolstered after the approval for Zydus Cadila's vaccine candidate. It was fast-tracked following a recommendation by the subject expert committee on COVID-19, considering the emergency and unmet medical need during the pandemic. "DCGI Dr V G Somani has given approval for the phase I and II clinical trials (on humans) of the potential novel coronavirus vaccine developed by Zydus Cadila Healthcare Ltd on Thursday after its animal studies were found to be successful," an official source said. Jameel, winner of"the"2000"Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology,"one of the highest Indian science awards, noted that"it is a vaccine funded by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and the Department of Biotechnology. "Congratulations to Cadilla, BIRAC and DBT. We would look forward to properly conducted trials and good news in due course," he told PTI. "I am glad that a locally made vaccine candidate is making the same progress that others elsewhere in the world are making, not just with SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates but with DNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates, and I will look forward to the results," added Rath from Delhi's National Institute of Immunology (NII). Gautam I. Menon, professor from the Departments of Physics and Biology at Ashoka University, said"Zydus Cadila's vaccine appears to have shown safety and efficacy in animal trials and so they have been allowed to go to the next step, to human trials. "This is the standard procedure. It is the human trials that are time-consuming and it is important to get this right," Menon told PTI. In another development, Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla told The Tribune newspaper that the Covid-19 vaccine being developed at the University of Oxford will hit the market by the year-end. ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 is made from a virus (ChAdOx1), which is a weakened version of a common cold virus (adenovirus) that causes infections in chimpanzees, and has been genetically changed so that it is impossible for it to reproduce in humans. "I think it is likely that the ChAdOx1-S vaccine candidate which has entered a phase 3 clinical trial in Brazil, will give at least somewhat promising results by late this calendar year," Rath said. "Whether this will lead to the 'vaccine' becoming available in the market, and in the public health system, more importantly, by the end of this calendar year in India is much more uncertain, Mr Poonawala's welcome optimism notwithstanding," he added.

Scientists strike note of caution as 'Made in India' vaccine programme gains momentum

Researchers, led by an Indian scientist, have developed a cheap, electricity-free centrifuge to separate components in patient saliva samples for the detection of the novel coronavirus, an innovation that may increase accessibility of COVID-19 diagnostics in poor regions of the world.

According to the scientists, including Manu Prakash from Stanford University in the US, the 'Handyfuge' device spins tubes containing patient saliva at very high speeds, enough to separate the virus genome from other components in the sample, without needing electricity.

They said the cheap centrifuge, described in a yet-to-be peer-reviewed study published in the platform medRxiv, can be assembled using readily available components for a cost less than five USD per unit.

It can allow clinicians and scientists to carry out a quick and cheap diagnostic technique called the LAMP assay to detect the presence of the novel coronavirus genome in patient saliva samples, the scientists noted.

The LAMP protocol, according to Prakash and his team, "has the benefits of being simple, requiring no specialised equipment, rapid, requiring less than an hour from sample collection to readout, and cheap, costing around one dollar per reaction using commercial reagents."

While the assay has several merits, the Stanford scientists said there could be a variability in output in diagnostic methods based on viral genome detection in saliva samples. 
They explained that this is due to the saliva containing substances which can inhibit diagnostic reagents.

"Centrifugation to separate the reaction inhibitors from inactivated sample was shown to be an effective way to ensure reliable LAMP amplification," the scientists wrote in the study.

However, they said a centrifuge capable of safely achieving the necessary speeds of 2000 rotations per minute (RPM), for several minutes, costs hundreds of dollars, also requiring a power supply.

With Handyfuge, this hurdle can be over come, believes Prakash -- a professor of Bioengineering at Stanford University, whose lab had earlier developed a cheap "origami microscope" called 'Foldscope'.

The scientists explained that the novel device uses a mechanical strategy similar to that seen in 'Dyno-torch' flashlights to generate centrifugal force using kinetic input from the user.

"The user repeatedly squeezes the handle to spin a small freewheel connected to a centrifuge spindle," they wrote in the study.

After a designated amount of time, enough centrifugal force is applied to the sample-containing tubes, the scientists said, yielding a separated liquid layer that is free of chemicals that may inhibit the coronavirus genetic material, its RNA.

"This supernatant can then be reliably used for LAMP detection of SARS-CoV-2 or other viruses," the researchers wrote.

According to the study, the Handyfuge-LAMP assay works based on protocol for the diagnostic method developed by scientists, Brian Rabe and Constance Cepko, from Harvard University in the US.

"This simple electricity-free LAMP protocol builds on fantastic work by Cepko lab at Harvard, but with a hand powered centrifuge to make this assay completely electricity free for resource constrained settings," Prakash's lab mentioned in a tweet.

"The advantage for handyfuge is increased stability and limited fluctuations in RPM and it matches covid test need," the scientists noted on Twitter.

According to the scientists, the idea started from a flash light picked up from a toy store, which they hacked to build Handyfuge.

They said the Handyfuge, combined with the assay from Cepko and Rabe, works reliably in detecting synthetic COVID-19 RNA "down to 10-100 copies per microlitres in saliva."

Commenting on the study, virologist Upasana Ray from the CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology in Kolkata said, "The mini-centrifuge is functionally equivalent to the ones used in molecular biology laboratories as bench top electricity driven ones."

However, Ray said, non specific results may arise, such as when genetic sequences that have some degree of similarities -- although otherwise might have different origins like host versus pathogen -- could be detected as wrongly same.

Despite this problem, Ray added that a combination of the methods can potentially help in short listing "doubtful/suspected samples."

These samples could then be validated further, she said.

"It's like picking up a handful of green peas. Later you find some of them are rotten. Earlier part is LAMP, later part is a more specific PCR reaction or real time PCR reaction," Ray explained.

"The authors have proposed the Handyfuge as a useful tool to clarify saliva samples. Saliva is an easily accessible totally noninvasive source. Thus taken together the proposed technology should be further validated on large sample sizes for a better understanding," Ray added.

Using insulated coolers for reagent supply chain and delivery, the assay can be completed without the need for electricity "or any laboratory scale infrastructure," the study noted. 
However, to determine the effectiveness of the device as a point of care tool, the researchers said it will need to be validated using actual patient samples.

"We are currently preparing to test this protocol and Handyfuge in field settings," they wrote in the study.

Researchers, led by an Indian scientist, have developed a cheap, electricity-free centrifuge to separate components in patient saliva samples for the detection of the novel coronavirus, an innovation that may increase accessibility of COVID-19 diagnostics in poor regions of the world.

Researchers, led by an Indian scientist, have developed a cheap, electricity-free centrifuge to separate components in patient saliva samples for the detection of the novel coronavirus, an innovation that may increase accessibility of COVID-19 diagnostics in poor regions of the world. According to the scientists, including Manu Prakash from Stanford University in the US, the 'Handyfuge' device spins tubes containing patient saliva at very high speeds, enough to separate the virus genome from other components in the sample, without needing electricity. They said the cheap centrifuge, described in a yet-to-be peer-reviewed study published in the platform medRxiv, can be assembled using readily available components for a cost less than five USD per unit. It can allow clinicians and scientists to carry out a quick and cheap diagnostic technique called the LAMP assay to detect the presence of the novel coronavirus genome in patient saliva samples, the scientists noted. The LAMP protocol, according to Prakash and his team, "has the benefits of being simple, requiring no specialised equipment, rapid, requiring less than an hour from sample collection to readout, and cheap, costing around one dollar per reaction using commercial reagents." While the assay has several merits, the Stanford scientists said there could be a variability in output in diagnostic methods based on viral genome detection in saliva samples. They explained that this is due to the saliva containing substances which can inhibit diagnostic reagents. "Centrifugation to separate the reaction inhibitors from inactivated sample was shown to be an effective way to ensure reliable LAMP amplification," the scientists wrote in the study. However, they said a centrifuge capable of safely achieving the necessary speeds of 2000 rotations per minute (RPM), for several minutes, costs hundreds of dollars, also requiring a power supply. With Handyfuge, this hurdle can be over come, believes Prakash -- a professor of Bioengineering at Stanford University, whose lab had earlier developed a cheap "origami microscope" called 'Foldscope'. The scientists explained that the novel device uses a mechanical strategy similar to that seen in 'Dyno-torch' flashlights to generate centrifugal force using kinetic input from the user. "The user repeatedly squeezes the handle to spin a small freewheel connected to a centrifuge spindle," they wrote in the study. After a designated amount of time, enough centrifugal force is applied to the sample-containing tubes, the scientists said, yielding a separated liquid layer that is free of chemicals that may inhibit the coronavirus genetic material, its RNA. "This supernatant can then be reliably used for LAMP detection of SARS-CoV-2 or other viruses," the researchers wrote. According to the study, the Handyfuge-LAMP assay works based on protocol for the diagnostic method developed by scientists, Brian Rabe and Constance Cepko, from Harvard University in the US. "This simple electricity-free LAMP protocol builds on fantastic work by Cepko lab at Harvard, but with a hand powered centrifuge to make this assay completely electricity free for resource constrained settings," Prakash's lab mentioned in a tweet. "The advantage for handyfuge is increased stability and limited fluctuations in RPM and it matches covid test need," the scientists noted on Twitter. According to the scientists, the idea started from a flash light picked up from a toy store, which they hacked to build Handyfuge. They said the Handyfuge, combined with the assay from Cepko and Rabe, works reliably in detecting synthetic COVID-19 RNA "down to 10-100 copies per microlitres in saliva." Commenting on the study, virologist Upasana Ray from the CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology in Kolkata said, "The mini-centrifuge is functionally equivalent to the ones used in molecular biology laboratories as bench top electricity driven ones." However, Ray said, non specific results may arise, such as when genetic sequences that have some degree of similarities -- although otherwise might have different origins like host versus pathogen -- could be detected as wrongly same. Despite this problem, Ray added that a combination of the methods can potentially help in short listing "doubtful/suspected samples." These samples could then be validated further, she said. "It's like picking up a handful of green peas. Later you find some of them are rotten. Earlier part is LAMP, later part is a more specific PCR reaction or real time PCR reaction," Ray explained. "The authors have proposed the Handyfuge as a useful tool to clarify saliva samples. Saliva is an easily accessible totally noninvasive source. Thus taken together the proposed technology should be further validated on large sample sizes for a better understanding," Ray added. Using insulated coolers for reagent supply chain and delivery, the assay can be completed without the need for electricity "or any laboratory scale infrastructure," the study noted. However, to determine the effectiveness of the device as a point of care tool, the researchers said it will need to be validated using actual patient samples. "We are currently preparing to test this protocol and Handyfuge in field settings," they wrote in the study.

Indian-led team develops cheap, electricity free centrifuge for COVID-19 testing

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched `Aatmanirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge` to facilitate the techies and start-up community to create world-class Made in India Apps.

The challenge is an endeavour of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Atal Innovation Mission. Taking to Twitter, Prime Minister said that there is immense enthusiasm among the tech and start-up community to create world class Made in India Apps.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/chinablockswion-readers-stand-in-solidarity-with-us-310490">Also read|&nbsp;#ChinaBlocksWION: Readers stand in solidarity with us</a>

"Today there is immense enthusiasm among the tech &amp; start-up community to create world class Made in India Apps. To facilitate their ideas and products @GoI_MeitY and @AIMtoInnovate are launching the Aatmanirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge," he tweeted.

In another tweet, Prime Minister Modi urged tech community to participate. "This challenge is for you if you have such a working product or if you feel you have the vision and expertise to create such products. I urge all my friends in the tech community to participate. Sharing my thoughts in my @LinkedIn post," he tweeted attaching LinkedIn post.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This challenge is for you if you have such a working product or if you feel you have the vision and expertise to create such products. I urge all my friends in the tech community to participate. 
 
Sharing my thoughts in my <a href="https://twitter.com/LinkedIn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LinkedIn</a> post. <a href="https://t.co/aO5cMYi4SH">https://t.co/aO5cMYi4SH</a>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1279353810897387520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

In his LinkedIn post, PM Modi wrote, "Nowadays, we are seeing huge interest and enthusiasm among the start-up and tech ecosystem to innovate, develop and promote homegrown apps. Today, when the entire nation is working towards creating an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, it is a good opportunity to give direction to their efforts, momentum to their hard-work and mentorship to their talent to evolve Apps which can satisfy our market as well as compete with the world."

He wrote that this challenge will run in two tracks--Promotion of existing apps and development of new apps.

"Track-01 will work in mission mode for identifying good quality Apps for the leader-board and shall be completed in around a month. Track-02 initiative will work to help create new champions in India by providing support in ideation, incubation, prototyping and roll out along with market access," he wrote in the post.

The outcome of this challenge will be to give better visibility and clarity to existing Apps to achieve their goals, and to create tech products to find solutions to tech conundrums with the help of mentorship, tech support and guidance during the entire life-cycle, he wrote.

Prime Minister Modi in his post said that there is tremendous scope among these sectors for new Apps that solve specific issues for India and the world."Can we think of making traditional Indian games more popular via Apps? Can we develop Apps with targeted and smart access to the right age group for learning, gaming, etc? Can we develop gaming apps for people in rehabilitation or getting counselling to help them in their journey? There are many such questions and technology alone can give answers in a creative manner," said PM Modi.

Recently, the government has banned 59 mobile apps linked to China including Tik Tok, UC Browser, Helo, YouCam makeup and Mi Community in view of the information available that they are engaged in activities which are "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity and defence" of the country.

Almost all the apps banned on Monday have some preferential Chinese interest and the majority have parent Chinese companies.The ban came amid border tensions with China in Eastern Ladakh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched `Aatmanirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge` to facilitate the techies and start-up community to create world-class Made in India Apps.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched `Aatmanirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge` to facilitate the techies and start-up community to create world-class Made in India Apps. The challenge is an endeavour of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Atal Innovation Mission. Taking to Twitter, Prime Minister said that there is immense enthusiasm among the tech and start-up community to create world class Made in India Apps. Also read| #ChinaBlocksWION: Readers stand in solidarity with us "Today there is immense enthusiasm among the tech & start-up community to create world class Made in India Apps. To facilitate their ideas and products @GoI_MeitY and @AIMtoInnovate are launching the Aatmanirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge," he tweeted. In another tweet, Prime Minister Modi urged tech community to participate. "This challenge is for you if you have such a working product or if you feel you have the vision and expertise to create such products. I urge all my friends in the tech community to participate. Sharing my thoughts in my @LinkedIn post," he tweeted attaching LinkedIn post. This challenge is for you if you have such a working product or if you feel you have the vision and expertise to create such products. I urge all my friends in the tech community to participate. Sharing my thoughts in my @LinkedIn post. https://t.co/aO5cMYi4SH — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 4, 2020 × In his LinkedIn post, PM Modi wrote, "Nowadays, we are seeing huge interest and enthusiasm among the start-up and tech ecosystem to innovate, develop and promote homegrown apps. Today, when the entire nation is working towards creating an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, it is a good opportunity to give direction to their efforts, momentum to their hard-work and mentorship to their talent to evolve Apps which can satisfy our market as well as compete with the world." He wrote that this challenge will run in two tracks--Promotion of existing apps and development of new apps. "Track-01 will work in mission mode for identifying good quality Apps for the leader-board and shall be completed in around a month. Track-02 initiative will work to help create new champions in India by providing support in ideation, incubation, prototyping and roll out along with market access," he wrote in the post. The outcome of this challenge will be to give better visibility and clarity to existing Apps to achieve their goals, and to create tech products to find solutions to tech conundrums with the help of mentorship, tech support and guidance during the entire life-cycle, he wrote. Prime Minister Modi in his post said that there is tremendous scope among these sectors for new Apps that solve specific issues for India and the world."Can we think of making traditional Indian games more popular via Apps? Can we develop Apps with targeted and smart access to the right age group for learning, gaming, etc? Can we develop gaming apps for people in rehabilitation or getting counselling to help them in their journey? There are many such questions and technology alone can give answers in a creative manner," said PM Modi. Recently, the government has banned 59 mobile apps linked to China including Tik Tok, UC Browser, Helo, YouCam makeup and Mi Community in view of the information available that they are engaged in activities which are "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity and defence" of the country. Almost all the apps banned on Monday have some preferential Chinese interest and the majority have parent Chinese companies.The ban came amid border tensions with China in Eastern Ladakh.

PM Modi launches 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge' for techies, start-up community

Russia has been in touch with India and China over the situation at the Line of Actual control (LAC), and has welcomed efforts to cool the situation down. Moscow bilaterally has engaged with both "close partners" amidst the tensions over the violent face off at the LAC.&nbsp;

A Russian government source told WION, "Moscow is staying in touch with India and China, appreciating efforts of both partners to de-escalate and offering them to use multilateral platforms to expand the potential for cooperation."

The source added, "We are maintaining regular dialogue with all our partners and not playing any geopolitical games at the expense of third parties’ tensions."

Russia has clearly said it would not mediate between China and India. Earlier Russian FM Sergey Lavrov rejected any sort of Russia mediation between India and China.

Just last week Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov reiterated it again saying, "I think that any intervention, even the one with good intentions, in such a delicate matter as border disputes is not just inexpedient but can also seriously hurt the efforts Beijing and New Delhi are independently making to find a way out of this situation."

India has alreadly briefed Russia about the ongoing situation at LAC. &nbsp;Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov and India's Envoy to Russia Bala Venkatesh Varma had discussed &nbsp;the matter in Moscow with India's FS Harsh Shringla briefing the matter to Russian Envoy in Delhi.

Last month saw Russia-India-China RIC FMs virtual meet and later meet by sherpas of BRICS countries.

Moscow is a close partner of New Delhi and last few weeks have seen number of high-level engagements between the both. Indian PM Modi spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on July 2, becoming the first global leader to speak to Russian President after the Constitutional referendum.&nbsp;

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was in Moscow for the victory day parade and high number of engagements including with Russian deputy prime minister.

Russia has been in touch with India and China over the situation at the Line of Actual control (LAC), and has welcomed efforts to cool the situation down. Moscow bilaterally has engaged with both "close partners" amidst the tensions over the violent face off at the LAC.

Russia has been in touch with India and China over the situation at the Line of Actual control (LAC), and has welcomed efforts to cool the situation down. Moscow bilaterally has engaged with both "close partners" amidst the tensions over the violent face off at the LAC. A Russian government source told WION, "Moscow is staying in touch with India and China, appreciating efforts of both partners to de-escalate and offering them to use multilateral platforms to expand the potential for cooperation." The source added, "We are maintaining regular dialogue with all our partners and not playing any geopolitical games at the expense of third parties’ tensions." Russia has clearly said it would not mediate between China and India. Earlier Russian FM Sergey Lavrov rejected any sort of Russia mediation between India and China. Just last week Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov reiterated it again saying, "I think that any intervention, even the one with good intentions, in such a delicate matter as border disputes is not just inexpedient but can also seriously hurt the efforts Beijing and New Delhi are independently making to find a way out of this situation." India has alreadly briefed Russia about the ongoing situation at LAC. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov and India's Envoy to Russia Bala Venkatesh Varma had discussed the matter in Moscow with India's FS Harsh Shringla briefing the matter to Russian Envoy in Delhi. Last month saw Russia-India-China RIC FMs virtual meet and later meet by sherpas of BRICS countries. Moscow is a close partner of New Delhi and last few weeks have seen number of high-level engagements between the both. Indian PM Modi spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on July 2, becoming the first global leader to speak to Russian President after the Constitutional referendum. Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was in Moscow for the victory day parade and high number of engagements including with Russian deputy prime minister.

India-China stand off: Russia in touch with New Delhi, Beijing

An Indian expat, who was eagerly waiting to be repatriated after cancelling his visa, missed a jumbo jet flying 427 stranded Indians to Kerala. The reason is amusing. The gentleman fell asleep at the Dubai International Airport.

P Shajahan, who worked as a storekeeper with a company in Musaffah in Abu Dhabi, told Gulf News on Friday that he fell asleep as he had not slept on Wednesday night waiting for confirmation about the flight and had caught an early morning taxi to reach Dubai.

He was supposed to fly on the Emirates jumbo jet to Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, which was chartered by the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) Dubai.

After finishing the check-in procedures and rapid test, he reached the waiting area of the boarding gate at Terminal 3 in the afternoon. Following this, he sat away from most of the others.

And fell asleep.

Airline officials could not trace Shajahan when the flight was to take off. They are now trying to send him on another Emirates flight that will be chartered on Saturday.

An Indian expat, who was eagerly waiting to be repatriated after cancelling his visa, missed a jumbo jet flying 427 stranded Indians to Kerala. The reason is amusing.

An Indian expat, who was eagerly waiting to be repatriated after cancelling his visa, missed a jumbo jet flying 427 stranded Indians to Kerala. The reason is amusing. The gentleman fell asleep at the Dubai International Airport. P Shajahan, who worked as a storekeeper with a company in Musaffah in Abu Dhabi, told Gulf News on Friday that he fell asleep as he had not slept on Wednesday night waiting for confirmation about the flight and had caught an early morning taxi to reach Dubai. He was supposed to fly on the Emirates jumbo jet to Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, which was chartered by the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) Dubai. After finishing the check-in procedures and rapid test, he reached the waiting area of the boarding gate at Terminal 3 in the afternoon. Following this, he sat away from most of the others. And fell asleep. Airline officials could not trace Shajahan when the flight was to take off. They are now trying to send him on another Emirates flight that will be chartered on Saturday.

Indian expat falls asleep at Dubai airport, misses flight

India has recorded highest-daily surge in COVID-19 cases again. 22,000 new cases of pandemic Coronavirus has been reported in last 24 hours.

India records highest daily surge in COVID-19 cases again, 22,000 new cases in last 24 hours

One terrorist was killed in an ongoing encounter at South Kashmir`s Kulgam district on Saturday. "One terrorist has been killed, operations are going on," Inspector General Kashmir Vijay Kumar told.

One terrorist was killed in an ongoing encounter at South Kashmir`s Kulgam district on Saturday. "One terrorist has been killed, operations are going on," Inspector General Kashmir Vijay Kumar told. The encounter started after security forces got an input about the presence of terrorists in Arrah area of Kulgam. As the security forces cordoned off the area and zeroed in on the spot where the terrorists were hiding they came under a heavy volume of fire drawing retaliation of the security forces and triggering the encounter.

One terrorist killed in encounter in Jammu and Kashmir

India has recorded 442 deaths and the highest single-day spike of 22,771 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. Positive cases stand at 648315 including 235433 active cases, 394227 cured/discharged/migrated and 18655 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

India has recorded 442 deaths and the highest single-day spike of 22,771 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. Positive cases stand at 648315 including 235433 active cases, 394227 cured/discharged/migrated and 18655 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. The Government of India (GoI) said that recovery rate has further improved to 60.80%. The recoveries/deaths ratio is 95.48% : 4.52% now, the GoI said. Meanwhile, 204 new positive cases and 3 deaths have been reported in Rajasthan till 10:30 am today. The total number of cases in the state stands at 19,256 including 3,461 active cases and 443 deaths, according to State Health Department. Odisha reported 495 new positive cases. Total positive cases in the State stands at 8601 including 2853 active cases and 5705 recovered, according to Information & Public Relations, Department Government of Odisha.

India records highest single-day spike of 22,771 new COVID-19 cases

Social media app TikTok distanced itself from Beijing after India banned 59 Chinese apps in the country, according to a correspondence seen by Reuters. In a letter to the Indian government dated June 28th and seen by Reuters on Friday, TikTok Chief Executive Kevin Mayer said the Chinese government has never requested user data, nor would the company turn it over if asked.

Social media app TikTok distanced itself from Beijing after India banned 59 Chinese apps in the country, according to a correspondence seen by Reuters. In a letter to the Indian government dated June 28th and seen by Reuters on Friday, TikTok Chief Executive Kevin Mayer said the Chinese government has never requested user data, nor would the company turn it over if asked. TikTok, which is not available in China, is owned by China's ByteDance but has sought to distance itself from its Chinese roots to appeal to a global audience. Along with 58 other Chinese apps, including Tencent Holdings Ltd's WeChat and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's UC Browser, it was banned in India this week following a border clash with China. "I can confirm that the Chinese government has never made a request to us for the TikTok data of Indian users," Mayer wrote, adding that data for Indian users is stored in servers in Singapore. "If we do ever receive such a request in the future, we would not comply." The letter was sent ahead of a likely meeting next week between the company and the government, one source familiar with the matter told Reuters. One Indian government source told Reuters this week the ban was unlikely to be revoked soon. Lawyers have said a legal challenge was unlikely to be successful, given India has cited national security concerns for the ban. The ban, which upset India's growing legion of TikTok stars, has also given a lift to local rivals such as Roposo, which added 22 million new users in the 48 hours after the ban took effect. TikTok has committed to spend $1 billion in the region. Since its launch in 2017, it has become one of the fastest- growing social media apps. India is its largest market by user, followed by the United States. In the letter, Mayer played up the company's investment in the region, highlighting more than 3,500 direct and indirect employees and content available in 14 languages. "The privacy of our users, and the security and sovereignty of India, are of utmost importance to us," Mayer wrote. "We have already announced our plans to build a data centre in India." The correspondence was first reported by the Wall Street Journal and other media.

TikTok distances from Beijing in response to India app ban

Mahant Kamal Nayan Das, spokesperson for president of Shri Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, said on Friday that the trust members are scheduled to meet on July 18 in Ayodhya for the purpose of construction of Ram temple.

"Trust members will meet on July 18 in Ayodhya. The purpose will be the construction of Ram temple. We want that (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi Ji should visit here once so that construction begins," said Mahant Kamal Nayan Das.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pictures-temple-remains-and-idol-residues-found-in-ayodhya-300141">In pictures: Temple remains and idol residues found in Ayodhya</a>

Earlier on Wednesday, Nritya Gopal Das said that they have requested the Prime Minister to inaugurate the construction activities at the temple site in Ayodhya.

"We have written a letter to the Prime Minister requesting him to visit Ayodhya and inaugurate the construction activities of Ram temple. Pooja and other rituals have been ongoing for three months at the site," Das told ANI here.

Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/sri-ram-janambhoomi-tirath-kshetra-trust-formed-pm-modi-informs-lok-sabha-278744">Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra trust formed: PM Modi informs Lok Sabha</a>

"We just want him to come and we will ensure that there is no crowding," he said.

In March this year, the 'Ram Lalla'&nbsp;idol was shifted to a temporary structure near Manas Bhawan in Ram Janmabhoomi premises, till the completion of the construction of Ram temple.

The Supreme Court had on November 9 last year directed the central government to hand over the site at Ayodhya for the construction of a temple and set up a trust in its verdict on the Ayodhya issue.

The apex court had also directed the government to give a suitable land measuring five acres to the Sunni Waqf Board.&nbsp;

Mahant Kamal Nayan Das, spokesperson for president of Shri Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, said on Friday that the trust members are scheduled to meet on July 18 in Ayodhya for the purpose of construction of Ram temple.

Mahant Kamal Nayan Das, spokesperson for president of Shri Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, said on Friday that the trust members are scheduled to meet on July 18 in Ayodhya for the purpose of construction of Ram temple. "Trust members will meet on July 18 in Ayodhya. The purpose will be the construction of Ram temple. We want that (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi Ji should visit here once so that construction begins," said Mahant Kamal Nayan Das. In pictures: Temple remains and idol residues found in Ayodhya Earlier on Wednesday, Nritya Gopal Das said that they have requested the Prime Minister to inaugurate the construction activities at the temple site in Ayodhya. "We have written a letter to the Prime Minister requesting him to visit Ayodhya and inaugurate the construction activities of Ram temple. Pooja and other rituals have been ongoing for three months at the site," Das told ANI here. Also read| Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra trust formed: PM Modi informs Lok Sabha "We just want him to come and we will ensure that there is no crowding," he said. In March this year, the 'Ram Lalla' idol was shifted to a temporary structure near Manas Bhawan in Ram Janmabhoomi premises, till the completion of the construction of Ram temple. The Supreme Court had on November 9 last year directed the central government to hand over the site at Ayodhya for the construction of a temple and set up a trust in its verdict on the Ayodhya issue. The apex court had also directed the government to give a suitable land measuring five acres to the Sunni Waqf Board.

Ram temple trust members set to meet on July 18 in Ayodhya

The new division of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) -- the Development Partnership Administration (DPA IV) has emerged as the nodal point when it comes to dealing with heritage restoration projects undertaken by the Indian Government across the globe. It hence plays an important role in the restoration of cultural heritage in several countries across the region from Sri Lanka to Myanmar to Vietnam to Bhutan.

DPA IV, created in January 2020, aims to put all the stakeholders on the same page when it comes to the mammoth task of dealing with projects which New Delhi is helping restore across the world. The overarching aim is to revive and display India’s cultural and heritage linkages with other countries.

In Southeast Asia, the focus is on Myanmar, Lao, Cambodia and Vietnam. In Myanmar, conservation of earthquake-damaged Pagodas at Bagan is underway. In Lao, restoration of Vat Phou Shiva temple in Lao is being carried out in two stages. Vat Phou Shiva is Lord Shiva temple dating back to 5th and 6th century AD and predates the famous Angkor Wat. The water from the spring behind the temple is considered to be sacred. The second phase of the project began in November, 2018 and shall continue until 2028. &nbsp;

In Cambodia, India has committed to carry out the restoration of the ancient temple of “Preah Vihar” built during the period of the Khmer Empire.

In Vietnam, India is restoring, “My Son group of temples” which are regarded as one of the prime Hindu temple complexes in Southeast Asia. The temple complex was built in the 9th century AD under the reign of King Indravarman II. During the restoration work, the Archaeological Survey of India made a discovery of the monolithic sandstone Shiv Linga.&nbsp;

In fact, India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar had tweeted on it, calling the discovery "Reaffirming a civilisational connect" and "A great cultural example of India’s development partnership."

In South Asia, India is restoring temples and monasteries in Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal. In Sri Lanka, India has restored Thirukeeteswaram Temple in Mannar and official handing over ceremony is expected to happen very soon. In Bhutan significant projects like the restoration of Rigsum Goenpa Lhakhang, Lingzhi Dzong Conservation Project, Construction of Sarpang Dzong and Wangdiphodrang Dzong Reconstruction is being undertaken. &nbsp;

In Nepal, renovation of nine sites of historical places in and around Lalitpur District, Shree Pal Ewam Namgyal Monastic, Choonup in Mustang District, Harihar Bhawan, Kathmandu, Balmiki Campus of Nepal Sanskrit University, Kathmandu and rehabilitation of East and West Bhagmati Ghats at Pashupatinath Temple are some of the many projects being carried out.

The Ministry of External Affairs has completed over 49 projects all around the globe which includes cultural and heritage restoration projects in Malaysia, Mongolia, Bahrain, Israel, Turkestan, France, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Indonesia, Africa and other CMLV countries--Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam.

The DPA IV division also plans to promote restoration and revival of Intangible Cultural Heritage like language, rituals, practices, performing and other fine arts in an institutional manner. This is expected to be broadened to scripture preservation and digitization of manuscripts.&nbsp;

India had in 1986 sent teams of Archaeological Survey of India for the restoration of “Angkor Wat”. Other examples of India's restoration include temple complex at “Ta Prohm” in Cambodia.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The new division of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) -- the Development Partnership Administration (DPA IV) has emerged as the nodal point when it comes to dealing with heritage restoration projects undertaken by the Indian Government across the globe.

The new division of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) -- the Development Partnership Administration (DPA IV) has emerged as the nodal point when it comes to dealing with heritage restoration projects undertaken by the Indian Government across the globe. It hence plays an important role in the restoration of cultural heritage in several countries across the region from Sri Lanka to Myanmar to Vietnam to Bhutan. DPA IV, created in January 2020, aims to put all the stakeholders on the same page when it comes to the mammoth task of dealing with projects which New Delhi is helping restore across the world. The overarching aim is to revive and display India’s cultural and heritage linkages with other countries. In Southeast Asia, the focus is on Myanmar, Lao, Cambodia and Vietnam. In Myanmar, conservation of earthquake-damaged Pagodas at Bagan is underway. In Lao, restoration of Vat Phou Shiva temple in Lao is being carried out in two stages. Vat Phou Shiva is Lord Shiva temple dating back to 5th and 6th century AD and predates the famous Angkor Wat. The water from the spring behind the temple is considered to be sacred. The second phase of the project began in November, 2018 and shall continue until 2028. In Cambodia, India has committed to carry out the restoration of the ancient temple of “Preah Vihar” built during the period of the Khmer Empire. In Vietnam, India is restoring, “My Son group of temples” which are regarded as one of the prime Hindu temple complexes in Southeast Asia. The temple complex was built in the 9th century AD under the reign of King Indravarman II. During the restoration work, the Archaeological Survey of India made a discovery of the monolithic sandstone Shiv Linga. In fact, India's external affairs minister S Jaishankar had tweeted on it, calling the discovery "Reaffirming a civilisational connect" and "A great cultural example of India’s development partnership." In South Asia, India is restoring temples and monasteries in Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal. In Sri Lanka, India has restored Thirukeeteswaram Temple in Mannar and official handing over ceremony is expected to happen very soon. In Bhutan significant projects like the restoration of Rigsum Goenpa Lhakhang, Lingzhi Dzong Conservation Project, Construction of Sarpang Dzong and Wangdiphodrang Dzong Reconstruction is being undertaken. In Nepal, renovation of nine sites of historical places in and around Lalitpur District, Shree Pal Ewam Namgyal Monastic, Choonup in Mustang District, Harihar Bhawan, Kathmandu, Balmiki Campus of Nepal Sanskrit University, Kathmandu and rehabilitation of East and West Bhagmati Ghats at Pashupatinath Temple are some of the many projects being carried out. The Ministry of External Affairs has completed over 49 projects all around the globe which includes cultural and heritage restoration projects in Malaysia, Mongolia, Bahrain, Israel, Turkestan, France, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Indonesia, Africa and other CMLV countries--Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. The DPA IV division also plans to promote restoration and revival of Intangible Cultural Heritage like language, rituals, practices, performing and other fine arts in an institutional manner. This is expected to be broadened to scripture preservation and digitization of manuscripts. India had in 1986 sent teams of Archaeological Survey of India for the restoration of “Angkor Wat”. Other examples of India's restoration include temple complex at “Ta Prohm” in Cambodia.

MEA's new division spearheading restoration of temples, pagodas in Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Vietnam

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaches Ladakh to review the situation of the ongoing face-off between Indian and Chinese forces. The prime minister was accompanied by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and Army chief MM Naravane. Sources said 14 Corps Commander briefed them about the situation on the ground.

Indian PM Narendra Modi reaches Ladakh to review situation

Maharashtra reported the biggest single-day spike of 6364 COVID-19 cases so far on Friday, which took the tally of patients in the state to 192990, a health official said.&nbsp;

The state also reported deaths of 198 coronavirus positive patients, due to which the number of victims grew to 8376, the official said.

3515 patients were discharged today after recovery. So far, 104,687 patients have been recovered and discharged in Maharashtra.

With the highest ever single-day spike of 20,903 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours, India’s coronavirus tally reached 6, 25,544 on Friday. Out of which 2, 27,439 patients are active cases while 3, 79,892 patients have been cured/discharged/migrated, the Union Health Ministry said.

Meanwhile, 10,992,462 people around the world have been diagnosed with Covid-19 so far. Of them, 6,140,758 have recovered, and 524,039 have died, according to Worldometer.

The United States remains by far the worst affected country with 2,836,875 coronavirus cases and 131,477 deaths. It is followed by Brazil (1,501,353 cases, deaths 61,990), Russia (661,165 cases, 9,683 deaths), and India (627,168 cases, 18,225 deaths).

(With inputs from agencies)

Maharashtra reported the biggest single-day spike of 6364 COVID-19 cases so far on Friday, which took the tally of patients in the state to 192990, a health official said.

Maharashtra reported the biggest single-day spike of 6364 COVID-19 cases so far on Friday, which took the tally of patients in the state to 192990, a health official said. The state also reported deaths of 198 coronavirus positive patients, due to which the number of victims grew to 8376, the official said. 3515 patients were discharged today after recovery. So far, 104,687 patients have been recovered and discharged in Maharashtra. With the highest ever single-day spike of 20,903 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours, India’s coronavirus tally reached 6, 25,544 on Friday. Out of which 2, 27,439 patients are active cases while 3, 79,892 patients have been cured/discharged/migrated, the Union Health Ministry said. Meanwhile, 10,992,462 people around the world have been diagnosed with Covid-19 so far. Of them, 6,140,758 have recovered, and 524,039 have died, according to Worldometer. The United States remains by far the worst affected country with 2,836,875 coronavirus cases and 131,477 deaths. It is followed by Brazil (1,501,353 cases, deaths 61,990), Russia (661,165 cases, 9,683 deaths), and India (627,168 cases, 18,225 deaths). (With inputs from agencies)

Maharashtra records highest single-day spike in COVID-19 numbers

Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise visit to Ladakh on Friday to review the border situation, China said that negotiations are on between both the countries to “lower the temperatures” and “no party should engage in any action that may escalate the situation”.

“India and China are in communication and negotiations on lowering the temperatures through military and diplomatic channels. No party should engage in any action that may complicate the situation at this point,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Zhao Lijian, said at the regular ministry briefing on Friday.

Meanwhile, during his speech, the Indian prime minister said: "Your valour, respect and sacrifice towards mother earth cannot be compared," the Indian prime minister told the troops at the border, adding: "your courage is higher than the mountains where you are posted."

"The whole country has faith on you," PM Modi said. "Self-reliant India becomes stronger because of you," PM Modi asserted.

"The bravery that you and your compatriots showed, a message has gone to the world about India's strength," the PM said.

"I pay tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives in Galwan Valley, from Leh, Ladakh to Kargil and Siachen and to Galwan Valley, everyone is a witness to the valour of Galwan soldiers."

(With inputs from agencies)

Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise visit to Ladakh on Friday to review the border situation, China said that negotiations are on between both the countries to “lower the temperatures” and “no party should engage in any action that may escalate the situation”.

Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise visit to Ladakh on Friday to review the border situation, China said that negotiations are on between both the countries to “lower the temperatures” and “no party should engage in any action that may escalate the situation”. “India and China are in communication and negotiations on lowering the temperatures through military and diplomatic channels. No party should engage in any action that may complicate the situation at this point,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Zhao Lijian, said at the regular ministry briefing on Friday. Meanwhile, during his speech, the Indian prime minister said: "Your valour, respect and sacrifice towards mother earth cannot be compared," the Indian prime minister told the troops at the border, adding: "your courage is higher than the mountains where you are posted." "The whole country has faith on you," PM Modi said. "Self-reliant India becomes stronger because of you," PM Modi asserted. "The bravery that you and your compatriots showed, a message has gone to the world about India's strength," the PM said. "I pay tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives in Galwan Valley, from Leh, Ladakh to Kargil and Siachen and to Galwan Valley, everyone is a witness to the valour of Galwan soldiers." (With inputs from agencies)

No party should engage in any action that may escalate situation: China after PM Modi’s visit to Ladakh

Millions of Indians have joined homegrown social media platforms since New Delhi banned a slew of Chinese apps, including TikTok, amid growing tensions between the giant neighbours, industry officials said Thursday.

The ban comes as India steps up economic pressure on China following a border battle last month in which 20 Indian soldiers died.

The 59 banned apps include video-sharing giant TikTok, Helo and Likee, with authorities accusing them of activities "prejudicial" to the "sovereignty and integrity of India".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has a huge social media profile, threw his weight behind the campaign by closing his account on China's Weibo platform on Wednesday.

His photograph and 115 posts made over the past five years were deleted at the request of Indian authorities, the Chinese company said.

India's 1.3 billion population is a key market for global internet players and homegrown app platforms Sharechat and Roposo said they had seen a huge surge in new users since Monday's ban on their Chinese rivals.

Sharechat said in a statement that its video platform had clocked 15 million new downloads -- sometimes at a rate of half-a-million every 30 minutes -- in the 48 hours following the ban.

It now has at least 150 million registered users, it said.

"We welcome the move from the government against platforms that have had serious privacy, cyber-security and national security risks," Berges Malu, public policy director for ShareChat, told AFP.

BAND BRINGS TECH BOOST

"We believe this move will help create a level playing field (for Indian platforms)," Malu added.&nbsp;

Some 10 million new subscribers have joined the Roposo video app, Naveen Tewari, chief executive of owners InMobi, told AFP, bringing its user base to 75 million.

An estimated 120 million Indians were TikTok users before the ban.

Tewari said the app ban would give local platforms the chance to become the world's fourth major tech hub alongside the United States, Russia and China.

"Such opportunities don't come easily," he added.

The Indian industry has long been pressing for action against Chinese apps which dominate the market, with Sharechat and Inmobi calling for the platforms to follow Indian laws and values. &nbsp;

There are also fears foreign apps could influence domestic affairs in areas such as politics.

"Deep penetration of Chinese platforms in an open democracy like India makes its future election processes vulnerable to outside interference and manipulation," said one senior New Delhi-based digital industry analyst, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Observers say retaining the new followers will be the main challenge for the Indian upstarts, which will now have to invest in staff and content to keep audiences.

Arvind Gupta, founder and head of the DigitalIndia Foundation, told AFP that Indian firms also had to answer "the strategic concerns around privacy and data security" while taking advantage of the exit of TikTok and other rivals.

"This vacuum also makes India's digital landscape much more attractive for investment... from other democratic and open societies," said Gupta, a former technology head for India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.&nbsp;

Millions of Indians have joined homegrown social media platforms since New Delhi banned a slew of Chinese apps, including TikTok, amid growing tensions between the giant neighbours, industry officials said Thursday.

Millions of Indians have joined homegrown social media platforms since New Delhi banned a slew of Chinese apps, including TikTok, amid growing tensions between the giant neighbours, industry officials said Thursday. The ban comes as India steps up economic pressure on China following a border battle last month in which 20 Indian soldiers died. The 59 banned apps include video-sharing giant TikTok, Helo and Likee, with authorities accusing them of activities "prejudicial" to the "sovereignty and integrity of India". Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has a huge social media profile, threw his weight behind the campaign by closing his account on China's Weibo platform on Wednesday. His photograph and 115 posts made over the past five years were deleted at the request of Indian authorities, the Chinese company said. India's 1.3 billion population is a key market for global internet players and homegrown app platforms Sharechat and Roposo said they had seen a huge surge in new users since Monday's ban on their Chinese rivals. Sharechat said in a statement that its video platform had clocked 15 million new downloads -- sometimes at a rate of half-a-million every 30 minutes -- in the 48 hours following the ban. It now has at least 150 million registered users, it said. "We welcome the move from the government against platforms that have had serious privacy, cyber-security and national security risks," Berges Malu, public policy director for ShareChat, told AFP. BAND BRINGS TECH BOOST "We believe this move will help create a level playing field (for Indian platforms)," Malu added. Some 10 million new subscribers have joined the Roposo video app, Naveen Tewari, chief executive of owners InMobi, told AFP, bringing its user base to 75 million. An estimated 120 million Indians were TikTok users before the ban. Tewari said the app ban would give local platforms the chance to become the world's fourth major tech hub alongside the United States, Russia and China. "Such opportunities don't come easily," he added. The Indian industry has long been pressing for action against Chinese apps which dominate the market, with Sharechat and Inmobi calling for the platforms to follow Indian laws and values. There are also fears foreign apps could influence domestic affairs in areas such as politics. "Deep penetration of Chinese platforms in an open democracy like India makes its future election processes vulnerable to outside interference and manipulation," said one senior New Delhi-based digital industry analyst, speaking on condition of anonymity. Observers say retaining the new followers will be the main challenge for the Indian upstarts, which will now have to invest in staff and content to keep audiences. Arvind Gupta, founder and head of the DigitalIndia Foundation, told AFP that Indian firms also had to answer "the strategic concerns around privacy and data security" while taking advantage of the exit of TikTok and other rivals. "This vacuum also makes India's digital landscape much more attractive for investment... from other democratic and open societies," said Gupta, a former technology head for India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

Millions switch to 'local TikToks' after India bans Chinese apps

India recorded the highest single-day spike of 20,903 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours taking the total number of cases to 6,25,544.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-community-spread-of-virus-in-maharashtra-claims-health-minister-rajesh-tope-310216">Also Read:&nbsp;No community spread of virus in Maharashtra, claims health minister</a>

The country recorded 379 deaths taking the total death toll to 18,213 with 2,27,439 active cases.

Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR) said it has&nbsp;tested 92,97,749 COVID-19 samples so far with 2,41,576 samples being tested yesterday.

Watch Video:

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Maharashtra which has been hit hardest due to the virus reported 6,330 coronavirus cases in 24 hours with 125 deaths with the total number of cases in the state rising to 1,86,626, including 8,178 deaths, the state health department said.

India's financial capital Mumbai reported 1,554 coronavirus cases with the total number of cases rising to 80,262.&nbsp;

Mumbai's slum area Dharavi reported 19 coronavirus cases &amp; two deaths with the total number of cases in the area rising to 2,301, including 551 active cases. The death toll due to the virus has gone up to 84 in the area.

India's national capital reported 2373 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours with the number of cases rising to 92,175 with the death toll rising to 2864. The number of active cases has shot up to 2,6304 in Delhi.

In West Bengal, 649 coronavirus cases were reported with 16 deaths in 24 hours taking the number of cases to 19,819 along with 6,083 active cases. The death toll due to the virus in the state has climbed to 699.

India recorded the highest single-day spike of 20,903 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours taking the total number of cases to 6,25,544. Also Read: No community spread of virus in Maharashtra, claims health minister The country recorded 379 deaths taking the total death toll to 18,213 with 2,27,439 active cases.

India recorded the highest single-day spike of 20,903 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours taking the total number of cases to 6,25,544. Also Read: No community spread of virus in Maharashtra, claims health minister The country recorded 379 deaths taking the total death toll to 18,213 with 2,27,439 active cases. Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR) said it has tested 92,97,749 COVID-19 samples so far with 2,41,576 samples being tested yesterday. Watch Video: Maharashtra which has been hit hardest due to the virus reported 6,330 coronavirus cases in 24 hours with 125 deaths with the total number of cases in the state rising to 1,86,626, including 8,178 deaths, the state health department said. India's financial capital Mumbai reported 1,554 coronavirus cases with the total number of cases rising to 80,262. Mumbai's slum area Dharavi reported 19 coronavirus cases & two deaths with the total number of cases in the area rising to 2,301, including 551 active cases. The death toll due to the virus has gone up to 84 in the area. India's national capital reported 2373 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours with the number of cases rising to 92,175 with the death toll rising to 2864. The number of active cases has shot up to 2,6304 in Delhi. In West Bengal, 649 coronavirus cases were reported with 16 deaths in 24 hours taking the number of cases to 19,819 along with 6,083 active cases. The death toll due to the virus in the state has climbed to 699.

India records highest one day spike with over 20,000 coronavirus cases

The deadly coronavirus containment zones in Delhi have risen to 445 on Friday, according to government data.&nbsp;

Of these, 398 areas are active containment zones while 47 have been scaled-down but are yet to be de-contained.&nbsp;

A total of 218 areas have been added to the list of containment zones after June 21. COVID-19 cases in the national capital crossed 92,000 on Thursday.

Meanwhile, with the highest ever single-day spike of 20,903 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours, India’s coronavirus tally reached 6, 25,544 on Friday. Out of which 2, 27,439 patients are active cases while 3, 79,892 patients have been cured/discharged/migrated, the Union Health Ministry said.

10,992,462 people around the world have been diagnosed with Covid-19 so far. Of them, 6,140,758 have recovered, and 524,039 have died, according to Worldometer.

The United States remains by far the worst affected country with 2,836,875 coronavirus cases and 131,477 deaths. It is followed by Brazil (1,501,353 cases, deaths 61,990), Russia (661,165 cases, 9,683 deaths), and India (627,168 cases, 18,225 deaths).

 
(With inputs from agencies)

The deadly coronavirus containment zones in Delhi have risen to 445 on Friday, according to government data. Of these, 398 areas are active containment zones while 47 have been scaled-down but are yet to be de-contained.

The deadly coronavirus containment zones in Delhi have risen to 445 on Friday, according to government data. Of these, 398 areas are active containment zones while 47 have been scaled-down but are yet to be de-contained. A total of 218 areas have been added to the list of containment zones after June 21. COVID-19 cases in the national capital crossed 92,000 on Thursday. Meanwhile, with the highest ever single-day spike of 20,903 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours, India’s coronavirus tally reached 6, 25,544 on Friday. Out of which 2, 27,439 patients are active cases while 3, 79,892 patients have been cured/discharged/migrated, the Union Health Ministry said. 10,992,462 people around the world have been diagnosed with Covid-19 so far. Of them, 6,140,758 have recovered, and 524,039 have died, according to Worldometer. The United States remains by far the worst affected country with 2,836,875 coronavirus cases and 131,477 deaths. It is followed by Brazil (1,501,353 cases, deaths 61,990), Russia (661,165 cases, 9,683 deaths), and India (627,168 cases, 18,225 deaths). (With inputs from agencies)

Coronavirus containment zones in Delhi rise to 445

Indian equity market benchmarks BSE Sensex and Nifty 50 settled with half a per cent gains on Friday led by buying in IT and auto stocks.&nbsp;

The S&amp;P BSE Sensex hovered around 35,900 levels, having risen to as high as 36,110 earlier in the day. The Nifty50 index slipped below the 10,600 level. Bharti Airtel and Bajaj Auto (both up 2%) were the top Sensex gainers. Reliance Industries gained 1 per cent after the company announced that Intel has invested Rs 1,894.5 crore in Reliance Jio for a 0.39 per cent stake.

The Nifty and Sensex have rebounded sharply from a coronavirus-fuelled slump in March, but remain around 13% lower for the year.

Indian equity market benchmarks BSE Sensex and Nifty 50 settled with half a per cent gains on Friday led by buying in IT and auto stocks. The S&P BSE Sensex hovered around 35,900 levels, having risen to as high as 36,110 earlier in the day.

Indian equity market benchmarks BSE Sensex and Nifty 50 settled with half a per cent gains on Friday led by buying in IT and auto stocks. The S&P BSE Sensex hovered around 35,900 levels, having risen to as high as 36,110 earlier in the day. The Nifty50 index slipped below the 10,600 level. Bharti Airtel and Bajaj Auto (both up 2%) were the top Sensex gainers. Reliance Industries gained 1 per cent after the company announced that Intel has invested Rs 1,894.5 crore in Reliance Jio for a 0.39 per cent stake. The Nifty and Sensex have rebounded sharply from a coronavirus-fuelled slump in March, but remain around 13% lower for the year.

Sensex ends 177 points higher, Nifty at 10,607

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