India has recorded more than 2,000 Covid deaths and almost 300,000 new cases, among the world's biggest daily totals since the pandemic began, official data showed.

Health ministry figures showed 295,000 new cases in 24 hours, on a par with numbers seen in the United States in January, and 2,023 fatalities, bringing the country's total death toll to 182,553, according to AFP.

In an address to the nation on Tuesday night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the country of 1.3 billion people was “once again fighting a big fight”.

“The situation was under control till a few weeks back, and then this second corona wave came like a storm,” Modi said.

A notice informing about the shortage of Covid-19 vaccine is displayed on the gate of a vaccination centre in Mumbai, India. — AP
A notice informing about the shortage of Covid-19 vaccine is displayed on the gate of a vaccination centre in Mumbai, India. — AP

Opinion

Editorial

Holding the line
16 Mar, 2026

Holding the line

PAKISTAN’S long battle against polio has recently produced encouraging signs. Data from the national eradication...
Power self-reliance
Updated 16 Mar, 2026

Power self-reliance

PAKISTAN’S transition to domestic sources of electricity is a welcome development for a country that has long been...
Looking for safety
16 Mar, 2026

Looking for safety

AS the Middle East conflict enters its third week, the war’s most enduring victims are not those who wage it....
Battling hate
Updated 15 Mar, 2026

Battling hate

In the current scenario, geopolitical conflict, racial prejudice and religious bigotry all contribute to the threats Muslims face.
TB drugs shortage
15 Mar, 2026

TB drugs shortage

‘CRIMINAL negligence’ is the phrase that jumps to mind when one considers the disturbing consequences of the...
Chinese diplomacy
Updated 14 Mar, 2026

Chinese diplomacy

THERE are signs that China is taking a more active role in trying to resolve the issue of cross-border terrorism...