India Extends World’s Biggest Lockdown Until May 3

India extended a lockdown on its 1.3 billion people until at least May 3 on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.

Members of Rapid Action Force (RAF) patrol an empty street after India extended a nationwide lockdown to slow the spreading of the CCP virus in Ahmedabad, India on April 14, 2020. Amit Dave/Reuters

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI—India on Tuesday extended a lockdown on its 1.3 billion people until at least May 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said economic sacrifices were needed to save lives as the number of CCP virus cases exceeded 10,000.

Sharp downward revisions to economic growth forecasts in the wake of the pandemic point towards surging unemployment, but Modi urged Indians to maintain the discipline shown in the first three weeks of the lockdown.