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Indian Army Chief General M M Naravane on Wednesday said over 8500 military doctors and support staff to extend necessary assistance to civilian administration to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

During a video conference chaired by union defence minister Rajnath Singh to review the ministry’s efforts to fight COVID-19, Naravane also said that the Army will soon provide medical equipment to Nepal in order to help the neighbouring country to fight against COVID-19.

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat said separate hospitals have been identified to exclusively deal with COVID-19 and more than 9,000 hospital beds have been made available.

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DG AFMS Lt Gen Anup Banerji also said that 25,000 National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets are being mobilized to provide necessary local assistance.

DRDO chairman G Satheesh Reddy also said that 50,000 litres of sanitizers made by DRDO labs were supplied to various security entities, including Delhi Police and another one lakh litres were supplied all over the country.

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He said a five-layered nano technology face mask N99 is being made on war footing.

Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said the air force had flown 25 tonnes of medical supplies during the last five days.

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He stressed that critical operational work was being undertaken with all necessary precautions.