India PM announces $270 billion virus economic package

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

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

The funding includes a $2 billion relief package announced at the start of the lockdown in late March and stimulus efforts by the central bank, Modi said.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman would unveil further details in the next few days, he added.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2020

Read Comments