As expected there is a lot of idle chatter about Corona Virus and what should have been done. This post is a list of some of major actions that Indian govt has taken to control the spread of Corona Virus in India.

1. Multiple rescues of 1000s of Indians from a number of different countries

1. Saviour! Air India aircraft to rescue over 200 Indians stranded in Rome, Italy due to Coronavirus https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/travel-tourism/saviour-air-india-aircraft-to-rescue-over-200-indians-stranded-in-rome-italy-due-to-coronavirus/1905308/
2. India Evacuates Citizens, Others From China, Iran Amid COVID-19 https://thediplomat.com/2020/03/india-evacuates-citizens-others-from-china-iran-amid-covid-19/
3. Air India Boeing 747 on standby to evacuate Indians from Wuhan amid coronavirus outbreak https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/air-india-boeing-747-on-standby-to-evacuate-indians-from-wuhan-amid-coronavirus-outbreak/articleshow/73659590.cms
4. India evacuates 405 citizens stranded at Kuala Lumpur airport https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/india-evacuates-405-citizens-stranded-at-kuala-lumpur-airport-1657158-2020-03-18
5. India evacuates over 90 citizens stranded in Singapore https://www.rediff.com/news/report/covid-india-rescues-over-90-stranded-in-singapore/20200319.htm

2. Not just Indians, even foreign citizens are evacuated and aid sent

1. India pips China to extend emergency medical supplies to South Asian neighbours :https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/india-pips-china-to-extend-emergency-medical-supplies-to-south-asian-neighbours/articleshow/74743862.cms
2. India evacuates Maldivians, Bangladesh citizens from Wuhan as part of neighbourhood first policy
   https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/india-evacuates-maldivians-bangladesh-citizens-from-wuhan-as-part-of-neighbourhood-first-policy/articleshow/73890602.cms
3. India evacuates other citizens from COVID-19 countries https://www.wam.ae/en/details/1395302830356
4. India Sends Military Aircraft Carrying Lab and Scientists to Test 6000 Stranded Indians for COVID19 in Iran https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/indian-lab-coronavirus-testing-iran/
5. India sends aid to Coronavirus COVID-19-hit Italy https://zeenews.india.com/india/india-sends-aid-to-coronavirus-covid-19-hit-italy-2271007.html
6. India sends 15 tons medical relief to China for COVID-19 aid https://indusdictum.com/2020/02/27/coronavirus-india-sends-15-tons-medical-relief-to-china-for-covid-19-aid/

3. Strict controls imposed to control spread of virus

1. India bans incoming international flights (18th March) https://www.france24.com/en/20200319-coronavirus-india-bans-incoming-international-flights
2. India suspends domestic flights as coronavirus spreads (23 March) https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/23/india-suspends-domestic-flights-coronavirus-lockdown
3. Air India cancels flights to Rome, Milan, Seoul (12 March) https://english.manoramaonline.com/news/nation/2020/02/27/coronavirus-list-of-flights-cancelled-india-singapore-bangkok.html
4. Indian Railways suspends all passenger trains till March 31 (22 March) https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/coronavirus-all-passenger-trains-to-stop-plying-till-march-31-1658409-2020-03-22
5. Lockdown in 75 districts; trains, metros, interstate-state bus services shut till March 31 (22 March) https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/coronavirus-in-india-trains-metros-interstate-state-transport-bus-services-shut-till-march-31/story/398890.html
6. Government Suspends Air Travel from China, Declares All Visas ‘Invalid’ (3 Feb) https://weather.com/en-IN/india/news/news/2020-02-04-govt-suspends-air-travel-from-china
7. India sets 21-day ‘complete lockdown’ to stop coronavirus spread. It could be the biggest lockdown of its kind in human history. (24 March) https://abcnews.go.com/International/india-sets-21-day-complete-lockdown-stop-coronavirus/story?id=69769594

4. Multiple testing and quarantine facilities set up early

1. Passengers arriving in India on all international flights to be screened for coronavirus (4 March) https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/passengers-arriving-india-all-international-flights-be-screened-coronavirus-119463
2. India steps up screening of passengers arriving from China, Hong Kong (21 Jan) https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-india-steps-up-screening-of-passengers-arriving-from-china-hong-kong-796819.html
3. Coronavirus-hit India digs in for the long haul; here are the facilities set up so far (6 March) : https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/how-india-is-gearing-up-to-take-on-coronavirus/articleshow/74487704.cms
4. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research, has put out a list of 52 laboratories  capable of administering the test. (9 March) https://qz.com/india/1814798/india-increases-coronavirus-testing-facilities-as-cases-rise/
5. By the end of this week, there will be 72 functional ICMR labs for Covid-19 testing and also 49 others in the government system. We are also in talks with 51 private laboratories, accredited by National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories, to start testing (18 March) https://qz.com/india/1820426/india-announces-new-coronavirus-testing-labs-and-quarantine-rules/
6. India is stamping hands of people under coronavirus quarantine (18 March) https://nypost.com/2020/03/18/india-is-stamping-hands-of-people-under-coronavirus-quarantine/
7. The defence forces are building more quarantines to ensure that travellers do not mix with others :https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/these-are-the-coronavirus-quarantine-facilities-in-delhi-mumbai-hyderabad-and-other-parts-of-india/articleshow/74650950.cms
8. Amid the fight against coronavirus, a new challenge has reared its head: 20,000 quarantined homes in Delhi. The number of people quarantined at home so far is 45,616, including 22,716 with foreign travel history and 22,850 who came in contact with them. https://www.indiatoday.in/mail-today/story/20000-homes-in-quarantine-delhis-new-challenge-amid-coronavirus-1663700-2020-04-06

5. Massive efforts put in to track, isolate & treat infected people

1. Coronavirus testing, treatment to be free for 50 crore Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries https://www.thestatesman.com/coronavirus/coronavirus-testing-treatment-free-ayushman-bharat-beneficiaries-1502874017.html
2. Close to 22,000 Tablighi Jamaat members, their contacts quarantined in India: MHA. According to a MHA official, 200 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel and the Central Armed Police Forces are coordinating the same on the ground level. https://indianexpress.com/article/india/close-to-22000-tablighi-jamaat-members-their-contacts-quarantined-in-india-says-mha-6347314/
3. Platform ticket at Rs 50, quarantined wards, clean stations: How Railways is fighting Coronavirus https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/railways/how-indian-railways-is-fighting-coronavirus/articleshow/74591556.cms

6. Large budget allocated for relief packages

1. FM Sitharaman announces package worth Rs 1,70,000 crore for poor, daily wagers. n additional five kilos of rice/wheat will be given to 80 crore individuals — over the 5 kilo they already get — along with a one-kilo pulse per household for a period of three months.The government will spend Rs 45,000 crore for undertaking these measures.She also announced that there will be Rs 50 lakh insurance cover for each healthcare worker for three months. 8.69 crore farmers to be immediately benefited through direct cash transfers under Kisan Samman Nidhi. Instalment of Rs 2,000 in the first week of April will be transferred,” Sitharaman said.Wages under MNREGA will also be increased by Rs 2000 per worker on an averagehttps://www.indiatoday.in/business/story/finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman-live-updates-economic-relief-package-india-coronavirus-1659912-2020-03-26
2. India’s Finance Minister on 24 March 2020 announced measures that include tax relief in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. https://home.kpmg/us/en/home/insights/2020/03/tnf-india-tax-relief-measures-coronavirus.html
3. Cash transfer, free LPG, grains, part of coronavirus package https://www.livemint.com/news/india/nirmala-sitharaman-live-economic-package-announcement-likely-11585207106896.html

Indian efforts praised by multiple international bodies

1. “Apart from ensuring the safe return of hundreds of Indians from China, Iran and other countries, the Indian government has taken decisive measures to contain community spread,” said Sriram Gutta, Head of Community Development, India and South Asia at the World Economic Forum. “India is doing quite well,” said the WHO Representative, Henk Bekedam. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/03/quarantine-india-covid-19-coronavirus/
2. Coronavirus: As World Fights COVID-19, India’s Efforts Praised “This is true. The country has done well. I arrived in India on January 20. Awareness was already very high,” Bruno Macaes said while retweeting a tweet that praised India’s effort against COVID-19. https://news.abplive.com/news/india/coronavirus-as-world-fights-covid-19-indias-efforts-praised-1175897
3. ‘Commendable’: WHO praises India’s prompt actions to contain coronavirus spread https://english.jagran.com/india/commendable-who-praises-india-s-prompt-actions-to-contain-coronavirus-spread-watch-10009695