Bratislava: External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, on Friday, said India handled the COVID pandemic prudently and that the country is "largely out of COVID with a strong sense of economic recovery".

He made these remarks at the GLOBSEC 2022 Bratislava Forum being held in Slovakia on the topic 'Taking Friendship to the Next Level: Allies in the Indo-Pacific Region'.

Replying to a question on where India stands after the difficult and turbulent COVID times, Jaishankar said, "We are largely out of COVID, but it never quite goes away. But we are out of COVID with a strong sense of economic recovery. We handled it very prudently, economically."

"There is a lot of optimism about rebuilding.. leapfrogging in many areas, particularly in digital rebuilding. We handled it very prudently in terms of the financial responses. We did not blow the bank in responding. We intervened where we had to," Jaishankar said adding, "In the 8 years of the Modi government we have built a social welfare society at a speed and a scale that the world has not seen.

Jaishankar is currently on a visit to Slovakia and the Czech Republic from June 2 to 6 to impart further momentum to bilateral relations with the two Central European countries.

During his visit to Bratislava from June 2 to 4, Jaishankar will call also call on Prime Minister of Slovakia Eduard Heger and will hold bilateral discussions with Ivan Korcok, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia.

Moreover, during his visit to the Czech Republic from June 4 to 6, Jaishankar will hold discussions with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jan Lipavsky. The discussions will provide an opportunity for a comprehensive review of bilateral cooperation. The Czech Republic will be taking over the EU Presidency from July 1, 2022.

In addition to meeting the political leadership of the two countries, Jaishankar will also interact with a cross-section of the diaspora, including Indian students in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

"India has traditionally enjoyed close and friendly ties with both Slovakia and the Czech Republic. EAM's visit will impart further momentum to bilateral relations with the two Central European countries," the MEA release said.