Partnering for COVID-19 Response and Recovery: The Asian Development Bank’s Support to India

By Asian Development Bank

The COVID-19 pandemic hit India in three waves between 2020 and 2022 with severe socioeconomic impact, particularly on poor and vulnerable people. The Government of India’s response over different phases of the pandemic was comprehensive and graded. As its long-standing partner, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) proactively supported the government’s strategic, multisectoral, and well planned intervention. ADB effectively realigned its operational priorities and internal business processes to provide swift, systematic, and concerted support during this period to help India deal with the immediate and long-term pandemic impacts.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Asian Development Bank
• Release date: Nov 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9789292703905

Book preview

PARTNERING FOR COVID-19 RESPONSE AND RECOVERY

THE ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK’S SUPPORT TO INDIA

NOVEMBER 2023

Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO license (CC BY 3.0 IGO)

© 2023 Asian Development Bank

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Some rights reserved. Published in 2023.

ISBN 978-92-9270-389-9 (print); 978-92-9270-390-5 (electronic); 978-92-9270-391-2 (ebook)

Publication Stock No. TCS230469-2

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22617/TCS230469-2

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Notes:

1. In this publication, $ refers to United States dollars.

2. Project Lead: Rajesh Kumar Deol, Asian Development Bank.

3. Consultants: Sudipto Patra, Kevin Michael Donahue.

On the cover:

•   Cover photos courtesy Asian Development Bank.

Other photos:

•   ID 217950057© Manoej Paateel | Dreamstime.com | Mumbai, 17 May, 2020 | Closed shops in a Sutar chawl, Kalbadevi during a nationwide lockdown.

•   ID 186653558 © Manoej Paateel | Dreamstime.com| A medical officer attends to residents at a COVID-19 coronavirus testing drive during a nationwide lockdown.

•   ID 181515889 © Sanjoy Karmakar | Dreamstime.com | Burdwan Town, Purba Bardhaman District, West Bengal / India , 2 May 2020 | People in a queue to collect food grains at a ration shop in Burdwan town during the lock down period due to Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak.

•   Rest of the photographs included in the publication are courtesy Asian Development Bank unless otherwise mentioned.

Contents

Tables, Figures, and Boxes

Foreword

Looking back, the prolonged coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic was nothing short of tumultuous for hundreds of millions of people across the globe battling successive waves of the virus. The rampant spread of COVID-19 forced governments to adopt drastic measures to ensure the health and safety of the population. Poor and vulnerable groups were especially hard hit as health directives forced the closure of businesses and industries, impacting the livelihoods of millions. For India, with its large population and vast geography, the outcomes were exceptionally severe.

In those grim times, India’s healthcare and frontline workers worked tirelessly to treat patients, unmindful of the danger. Many inspiring stories of human fortitude amid adversity stood out during the chaos of the pandemic. There were also noteworthy examples of inspiring leadership across the country as the Government of India responded promptly to each phase of the pandemic in a manner that was both proactive and commendable.

The unprecedented health crisis called for prompt actions beyond the business-as-usual approach on the part