Narendra Modi Speech LIVE Streaming: Watch PM's Address to Nation on Lockdown Extension, Coronavirus Live Here

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing the nation at 8pm tonight, the PMO announced on Twitter, even as India surged past 70,000 coronavirus cases with the death toll climbing to 2293. This will be the PM's fourth special address to the nation in the last two months and is speculated to be regarding the lockdown and a possible extension with some more relaxations in place in wake of the pandemic.

You can follow all the latest updates on PM Modi's address on news18.com's blog. The speech can also be seen live on the live TV link at News18.com as well as at the official Twitter handle of the Prime Minister @PMOIndia and the YouTube handle of the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister's address comes at the heels of a video conference on Monday where he interacted with chief ministers of all the states on devising out ways to tackle the coronavirus and the resumption of activities across the states once the lockdown is lifted. The current phase of which is slated to conclude on May 17.

The Prime Minister first addressed the nation on March 18 and appealed to the people to observe 'Janata Curfew' between 9 am to 9 pm on March 22. On March 24, he announced the 21-day nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19 and then on April 14 he announced extending it for another 19 days till May 3. However, the government later announced the extension of the lockdown for two more weeks on May 1. India is in the third phase of lockdown which will end on May 17.

Modi had on Monday indicated that the lockdown will be extended, but there will be more relaxations to increase public activity gradually while adhering to guidelines. The PM had asked the chief ministers to share by May 15 a broad strategy on how they want to deal with lockdown regime in their states.

"I am of the firm view that the measures needed in the first phase of lockdown were not needed during the second phase and similarly the measures needed in the third phase are not needed in the fourth," he told the chief ministers according to an official statement.