India PM announces $270bn virus economic package

• This economic package is for India's self reliant movement.
• It is for the cottage, small and medium scale industries.

NEW DELHI: India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Tuesday a $270 billion economic package to boost flagging growth as the country grapples with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and weeks-long lockdown.

"This economic package is for India's self reliant movement. It is for the cottage, small and medium scale industries," Modi said in a national television address.

The package -- worth about 10 percent of India's GDP -- came as the country was set to mark its 50th day in lockdown as the number of virus cases topped 70,000 with 2,200 deaths.