India’s response to COVID-19 Crisis

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has presented India with complex economic and public health
challenges. Furthermore, these two crises interact with each other in complex ways whence there is
considerable uncertainty in designing a policy response. This paper purports to place India’s
experience with the corona virus in the international context and to examine the public health and
economic challenges as well as prospects in a post-COVID world. The paper lists key dates in the
development of this pandemic in India and globally. It then compares the development of the
pandemic in India until 30 June, 2020 with that in some key countries. We then outline the economic
and health strategy followed in India to combat the crisis. We also discuss some consequences of the
pandemic and elements of India’s recovery strategy. We also assess elements of India’s recovery and
prospects for the Indian economy. Finally the paper discusses prospects for the Indian economy in the
short run.