Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 4 PM on Tuesday, his office has tweeted. His address will come amid an ongoing stand-off between India and China at Ladakh’s Galwan valley and a surge in coronavirus cases that has shown little sign of slowing down.

His address comes against the backdrop of a bitter standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh where 20 Indian army personnel were killed in clashes on June 15 in Galwan Valley.

PM Modi on Sunday, on his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio show, said that India had given a befitting response to China on Ladakh, praising the army which fought Chinese troops at the Galwan Valley earlier this month. He also spoke of the call for the boycott of Chinese goods by the traders and the civil society.

Also, the country will be entering “unlock 2” from July 1 for which guidelines were issued by the Union Home Ministry on Monday night, further easing the restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus lockdown.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 4 PM tomorrow,” the Prime Minister’s Office tweeted on Monday night.

This would be the prime minister’s sixth address to the nation since the outbreak of the pandemic.

“We will buy local and be vocal for local and this will help India become stronger,” PM  said on Sunday on his Man ki Baat

“If India knows how to maintain friendship, it can also confront someone and give an adequate response. Our brave soldiers made it clear that they will not allow anyone to taint the honour of Mother India,” he had added, referring to the clash with Chinese troops in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed in the line of duty.

The Centre on Monday announced its decision to block 59 Chinese-owned mobile applications including TikTok, WeChat and UC Browser.

In a statement, the government said the apps were blocked “in view of information available they are engaged in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order”.

Modi had last addressed the nation on May 12 when he had announced a Rs 20-lakh-crore financial package to boost the economy recovering from coronavirus-induced lockdown.

In his monthly “Mann ki Baat” address on Sunday, the prime minister had asserted that India has given a befitting reply to those who cast an evil eye on its territory in Ladakh.

On COVID-19, he had urged the people to be more vigilant in the unlock phase and take necessary precautions, stressing that not doing so will put at risk their lives and those of others.