Call-on help: US rushes ‘series of help to India’ day after Modi-Biden chat

A day after a phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden swung into action in fast-forward mode to help India in its fight against the raging pandemic. The POTUS on Tuesday said the US was rushing a “whole series of help to India, including Remdesivir and other life-saving drugs”.

Joe Biden, reiterating his gratitude for India’s help in “time of need”, said: “We are sending actual mechanical parts that are needed for the machinery they have to build a vaccine. I have also discussed with him (Modi) when we will be able to send actual vaccines to India which will be my intention to do.” 

“When we were in a bind at the very beginning (of the COVID-19 pandemic), India helped us,” Biden said, referring to India, the largest producer of hydroxychloroquine, lifting the ban on the export of the medicine after then US President Donald Trump spoke to PM Modi on phone last year.

In their Monday phone call, Biden has pledged his “full support” to PM Narendra Modi, who is battling the mammoth surge of COVID-19 infections. The need for vaccines in India, which has now become the global epicenter of the pandemic, has become even more acute as the country has consistently recorded over 3 lakh cases in the last one week, with each day adding a new peak.

The recent spikes brought the total number of cases in India to 17.9 million, second in the world only to the U.S. Nearly 2 lakh people have died there as of Tuesday, though public-health experts believe the death count is likely higher.

The US aid package includes oxygen and related supplies, with the US looking at sending oxygen generation systems. A team of experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CAD) is also being sent to India to assist the health officials in India, the White House said on Monday.

Interestingly, the US that initially seemed reluctant to offer full-blown support to India gathered steam after several countries and European Union promised complete support to India.

The two leaders, who decided to stay in “regular touch”, emphasised on the strong cooperation between both countries. 

PM Modi thanked Biden for the support provided by the US.