President Rodrigo Roa Duterte had an engaging and productive telephone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the Republic of India in the evening of 09 June 2020.
President Duterte and Prime Minister Modi vowed—as partner countries with key roles to play in the Indo-Pacific region—to cooperate in the fight against COVID-19. The leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to harness international and bilateral cooperation to effectively address the coronavirus pandemic.
President Duterte recognized India’s leading role as global producer and source of affordable and accessible medicine and commended Prime Minister Modi for allowing India’s export of pharmaceutical products.
President Duterte said this decision demonstrated India’s “commitment to cooperation and to good neighborliness.” President Duterte also noted India’s efforts to develop a vaccine for COVID-19.
For his part, Prime Minister Modi assured the supply of affordable medicines and COVID-19 pharmaceutical products to the Philippines, including Hydroxychloroquine. Prime Minister Modi likewise said that India is ready to extend all possible cooperation to the Philippines and that the Philippines will definitely benefit from the vaccine that India is developing.
President Duterte lauded India’s efforts to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, noting the country’s 2.82% fatality rate, among the lowest in the world. Prime Minister Modi likewise congratulated the President for his leadership, noting the government’s effective management of the COVID-19 situation in the Philippines.
They also underscored the importance of sharing valuable lessons and best practices on addressing COVID-19.
Both leaders conveyed appreciation for the mutual assistance extended in the repatriation of Filipino and Indian nationals affected by the lockdown measures during the pandemic.
The leaders also agreed to further strengthen cooperation in the context of ASEAN-India Dialogue Partnership, with President Duterte emphasizing strengthening public health systems, food security as key areas of collaboration and calling on India to support the ASEAN Response Fund for COVID-19.
The phone conversation, which was requested by the Government of India, lasted 25 minutes.