World has begun to look up to India as a power to reckon with: Union minister on Covid-19 vaccination drive

Union minister Jitendra Singh said with the announcement of early lockdown by Prime Minister Modi way back in March, India was possibly the first to declare a decisive war against the pandemic.

As the country rolled out the world's largest inoculation drive against the coronavirus on Saturday, Union minister Jitendra Singh hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and said the world has begun to look up to India as a power to reckon with.

Union minister Jitendra Singh lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership in handling the Covid-19 pandemic. (HT File Photo )

He said Prime Minister Modi has always demonstrated the ability to make a virtue out of adversity.

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"In the wake of COVID pandemic, the prime minister has placed India on the path of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' and the world has begun to look up to India as a power to reckon with,” said Singh, the minister of state for personnel.

He said with the announcement of early lockdown by Prime Minister Modi way back in March, India was possibly the first to declare a decisive war against the pandemic.

"Today with the launch of vaccination drive, India is possibly the first to herald the beginning of the end of the pandemic. Something which was considered unbelievable to be achieved for a country as populous, as heterogeneous and as diverse, as India, has been made possible under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Singh told PTI.

The emerging scenario, he said, has given the people of India a reinforced sense of self-esteem and self-confidence, and also reinforced people's faith and trust in Prime Minister Modi.

Singh also lauded India's corona warriors for their enduring fight over the last one year.

He said the pandemic had brought out the best in the Indian medical fraternity and brought to the surface the inner strengths and potentials of Indian medical professionals.