Participants hold placards during a special prayer meeting held for China in Noida, on the outskirts of New Delhi, India, Feb. 10, 2020. The participants, mostly young students, came to express their solidarity with Chinese people -- especially the doctors and paramedical staff who are on the forefront working with dedication. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP), India, as a neighbor of China and the second most populous country in the world, has adopted a series of measures to prevent the virus from spreading into India. New Delhi's moves include deploying aircraft to evacuate Indians from China, curtailing flights to China, blocking the entry of the Chinese people, temporarily suspending the e-visa entry from China, and organizing expert teams to study and research the virus. According to reports, till now, India only reported three cases of coronavirus infection. 

From the perspective of India's national interest, India can't be blamed for taking these measures. As a country with a high population density, and economic strength that is only about one-fifth of China's, India's basic public health medical system remains under construction. India lacks sufficient capability to mobilize its entire society to fight against the virus outbreak as China has done. 

Today, a sense of fear still lurks in Indian society over the 1994 outbreak of pneumonic plague in Surat, Gujarat. At that time, approximately one-fourth of Surat residents, including people in the incubation phase of the plague infection, fled the city within four days of the announcement of the epidemic. The disease soon spread across the country, causing a serious blow to India's economic development. 

Nowadays, cultural, trade and people-to-people exchanges between China and India have become increasingly frequent. 

Imagine if the NCP spread widely in India, it would undoubtedly turn the pandemic to a larger-scale global crisis. That's something Chinese people would least want to see. 

However, could the Indian government have responded to the NCP outbreak in China in a calmer, more rational manner during the early stage? Could it have shown more goodwill like Japan, South Korea, Pakistan and Cambodia, all of which extended goodwill to China while trying to safeguard their own security? They didn't ban shipping supplies of surgical masks and other medical accessories to China or suspending e-visa services for Chinese people. The good news is, the ban on medical gear exports has been withdrawn. Yet India's previous moves have caused some discontent in Chinese public opinion. 

Chinese people believe that a drop of water given in need shall be returned with a burst of a spring, which means if others offer even a little bit of help, one should return the favor with all he or she can. At this critical point as China fights the epidemic, any country that offers understanding, support and aid will be appreciated. The Chinese people will remember their support and translate their gratitude into a strong driving force for the promotion of bilateral relations. 

China and India will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations this year with 70 joint celebratory activities. Over the past years, both sides have made efforts to walk out of the shadow of the Doklam standoff, with meetings between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Wuhan and Chennai, which have become milestones for the enhancement of bilateral ties. 

On numerous occasions Modi noted that the wisdom from the two countries' ancient and profound civilizations can provide inspiration for solving various challenges facing the world today. In the face of the novel coronavirus epidemic, India has good reason to work with China, support China and understand China's efforts in fighting the NCP. 

In a recent letter to Xi, Modi offered India's assistance to China to deal with the challenge, Press Trust of India reported on Sunday. This reminds people of India's gestures during the 2003 SARS outbreak, when then Indian defense minister George Fernandes visited China and announced India will provide China with Indian military medicine. It is hoped this time, India will show more goodwill gestures in the future.

The author is senior fellow of Taihe Institute, director of research department of National Strategy Institute of Tsinghua University. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn