Coronavirus outbreak: India Inc scales the wall as China can’t mask its pain

KOLKATA|MUMBAI: India Inc is sending face masks, sanitisers, soaps and disinfectants as companies do their bit to help China cope with shortage as the world’s most populous nation grapples with the Covid-19 outbreak that’s claimed about 2,500 victims so far.

Companies across the world have been seeking to assess the impact of the coronavirus outbreak that has halted manufacturing in China for global supply chains as well as the domestic market. In India, this has come as a business opportunity for some and a chance to help a neighbour for others.

“As a goodwill gesture, we have sent our products to our partners in China,” said Sameer Satpathy, chief executive, personal care products business, ITC Ltd. The company recently sent a consignment of Savlon hygiene products across the border.


China is the second biggest market for Procter & Gamble, the world's biggest consumer goods firm. Its India unit has sent 500,000 masks, with another 350,000 in transit. It’s preparing to send another 600,000. From its global units, P&G has sent Safeguard sanitisers, Ariel detergents and Oral-B toothpastes.

A Hindustan Unilever spokesperson said, “From India, we have sent Lifebuoy sanitisers to the Southeast Asian (SEA) countries and have helped the team in China procure masks.”

Chinese electronics makers such as TCL and Haier have sought assistance from their Indian units, while Kodak and Thomson have received requests for supplies of masks and disinfectants. BPL India’s chief operating officer Manmohan Ganesh said it has sent 20,000 surgical masks to its suppliers in Shenzhen. “These are for workers in production factories so that they can also increase production capacity,” he said.