Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the nationwide lockdown will be imposed for 21 days.

PM Modi said, "From midnight, entire India will go under lockdown. This is like a curfew…this is more advanced than Janta Curfew…it is stricter than Janta Curfew."

"The coming 21 days are veryimportant for us. According to health experts, at least 21 days time is veryimportant to break the coronavirus infection cycle," he said.

This is PM Modi's second address to peoplein less than a week as India is ramping up efforts to curtail the spread of thehighly contagious virus.

In his previous address to the nation onThursday, the Prime Minister had urged people to follow a 'Janta Curfew' onSunday which was, by and large, a success as citizens remained indoors. As ofnow, almost the entire country is under lockdown to restrict public movement ina bid to break the chain of transmission of coronavirus.