With everyday life getting back to normal in India, it feels like we are living in a parallel universe. Eg. In the UK, over 1,000 ppl have died in 24hrs from Covid19. India reported 233. Amazing given India's larger population even if you multiply India count for underreporting.

Schools, international borders and many offices in India remain shut or restricted, but streets, markets, restaurants, airports and quite a few hotels (from homestays to high-end) are bustling. I'm constantly surprised by this activity, despite seeing it day in and day out.

Nomura’s India Business Resumption Index is tracking just 5.5 percentage points below pre-pandemic levels, despite India having the highest cumulative case count after the United States. Covid-19 came, hit hard & close to many homes, and now the nation is bouncing back.

Even if you don't believe India's infection or death numbers, the reality is that many hospitals in big cities are no longer stretched to the limits. Beds are available. That's a big contrast to, say, London hospitals.

In India, outdoor mask requirements, a younger population, warmer climate and some level of herd immunity – supported by studies that found high levels of antibodies – appear to have helped slow the infection rate.

Of course, the elephant in the room is that India's economy was quite weak before the pandemic hit and people have burnt through savings. So any recovery will ideally shoot well above March levels. And that will be hard while many schools, offices, and borders remain shuttered.

Ps. To underscore the point, on this morning's run in Bandra, Mumbai (first attempt since ankle sprain) saw a group of grannies and pensioners, all eating cake and singing happy birthday together. That's a completely normal thing to see.