India / Global pandemic made us realise importance of teamwork: PM Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday delivered a keynote speech at the inaugural function of the 16th Grand Challenges Annual Meeting 2020 and said the future will be shaped by societies that invest in science and technologies “well in advance”.

“The future will be shaped by societies that invest in science & innovation. But, this cannot be done in a short-sighted manner. One has to invest in science and innovation well in advance. That is when we can reap benefits at the right time,” said PM Modi addressing through virtual conferencing.

Noting that the event was turned virtual due to the pandemic, the prime minister said, ”Such is the power of technology that a global pandemic did not keep us apart.”

“It has taken a global pandemic to make us realise yet again the importance of teamwork,” he added.

Speaking on India’s fight against the pandemic, PM Modi said that the country has a “strong and vibrant scientific community” to fight the viral infection.

“We also have good scientific institutions. They have been India’s greatest assets, especially during the last few months, while fighting COVID-19. From containment to capacity building, they have achieved wonders,” he said.

“Today, we are seeing a decline in the number of cases per day and the growth rate of cases. India has one of the highest recovery rates of 88 per cent. This happened because India was one of the first countries to adopt a flexible lockdown,” the prime minister noted, adding that the country is at the forefront of COVID-19 vaccine development.

Notably, the annual event is being co-hosted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and is set to feature many leaders for talks, panel discussions and virtual conversations on a variety of topics.