NEW DELHI 29 Mar (ANA) - Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked Indians for forgiveness after imposing a lockdown.

Amid criticism over the lack of planning ahead of the shutdown which was introduced with less than four hours' notice, Mr Modi apologised for the impact in his weekly radio address.

"Possibly many would be angry at me for being locked in their homes. I understand your troubles but there was no other way to wage war against coronavirus. For a country like India with a population of 1.3 billion it is a battle of life and death and we have to win it."(ANA)

FA/ANA/29 March 2020-----