New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday described the COVID-19 pandemic as a "huge challenge" as well as an "opportunity", saying there is a need to mobilise the country's scientists, engineers and data experts to work on innovative solutions to the crisis.

"The Covid19 pandemic is a huge challenge but it is also an opportunity," he said in a tweet.

"We need to mobilise our huge pool of scientists, engineers & data experts to work on innovative solutions needed during the crisis," the former Congress president said.

On Thursday, Gandhi had called for a united fight against the pandemic and said a lockdown is not the solution to defeat coronavirus.

He had asserted that aggressive testing is the "biggest weapon" to fight the virus.