US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have assured India and its folks of offering all help, together with urgently sending mandatory medical life-saving provides and gear, to assist the nation fight the lethal coronavirus disaster.
“Just as India sent assistance to the United States as our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, we are determined to help India in its time of need,” Biden stated in a tweet.
Just as India despatched help to the United States as our hospitals had been strained early within the pandemic, we’re decided to assist India in its time of want. https://t.co/SzWRj0eP3y
— President Biden (@POTUS) April 25, 2021
The President was spending his weekend at his house in Delaware however is believed to be following up the developments in India.
“The US is working closely with the Indian government to rapidly deploy additional support and supplies during an alarming COVID-19 outbreak. As we provide assistance, we pray for the people of India — including its courageous healthcare workers,” Harris stated in a tweet.
The U.S. is working intently with the Indian authorities to quickly deploy further assist and provides throughout an alarming COVID-19 outbreak. As we offer help, we pray for the folks of India—together with its brave healthcare employees.
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) April 25, 2021
The tweets by Biden and Harris are the primary reactions by the highest American management after the latest outbreak of lethal COVID19 pandemic in India. The two have been criticizsed by buddies of India within the US, together with a few of their very own get together leaders, for sluggish response to the American assist to their pure ally.
Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman stated she has been in shut contact with Foreign Secretary Harshvardhan Shringla and India’s Ambassador to US Taranjit Singh Sandhu in latest days on the difficulty.
“The American people stand in solidarity with our friends in India during these difficult times. We are rapidly providing therapeutics, ventilators, PPE, raw material for vaccines, and more,” Sherman stated.
Earlier on Sunday, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke to his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval throughout which the White House introduced that it’s urgently sending medical provides and gear to avoid wasting lives in India.
The Indian-American group, which had been vital of the Biden administration up to now, welcomed the transfer.
“Great to see our US India partnership at work at this critical time,” Indiaspora stated after Biden’s tweet.
“Good first steps,” Indian-American Democratic bundler Shekar Narasimhan stated after Sullivan introduced particulars of the help to India.
In a tweet, he described it as “moving the needle”.
“I am also counting on private and corporate actions to make a difference. Many have a big stake in India and it’s not just Indian Americans,” he stated.
India’s Ambassador to US Sandhu thanked each US Secretary of State Tony Blinken and Sullivan for his or her immediate response. “Thank you Sullivan for your reach out and support. We will fight the global pandemic through our collective action!” he stated in a tweet.
“Thank you Secretary Blinken for your solidarity and support. Together, we will fight the global pandemic!” Sandhu stated in one other tweet.
Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna, Congressional India Caucus Vice Chair and Member of the House Armed Services Committee, applauded the Biden administration.
“International cooperation and humanitarian assistance are the hallmarks of a truly progressive foreign policy. In the face of apocalyptic numbers of COVID-19 cases & new variants exploding in India, I applaud the Biden administration’s decision to put people over profits and provide additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), oxygen, and other medical supplies to India,” Khanna stated.
“I am also pleased to see the deployment of raw materials for India to produce more vaccines and USAID’s work with the CDC to expedite the mobilisation of emergency resources for India through the Global Fund. This must be done with the utmost speed and urgency,” he stated.
Khanna stated the Biden administration can nonetheless do extra, like give India “our stockpile” of AstraZeneca vaccines that received’t be used within the US and have already opened as much as Mexico and Canada. “And we should facilitate the Indian diaspora in America to help assist hospitals in India.”
Khanna stated the administration also needs to name on Pfizer and Moderna to supply an mental property waiver for six months to a 12 months as India grapples with the COVID-19 disaster. It will purchase them an inordinate quantity of goodwill in one of many largest rising markets, he added.
“The White House should also convene Indian business leaders to make the case for why this is in these companies’ long-term strategic interest. Many Indian American business leaders such as Vinod Khosla are happy to make the case to them why this is a good business decision. Mr. Khosla has committed to financially help any hospitals in India in need of supplies and will also be speaking with the India Caucus leadership to discuss what else can be done to assist,” Khanna stated.
In an announcement, Khanna stated he’s wanting ahead to becoming a member of the India Caucus management on a name with Indian Ambassador to US Taranjit Singh Sandhu to debate what further steps the US can take to assist India throughout this “incredibly difficult time”.
“This is a very tough time for the Indian people and underscores the continued threat of COVID-19. These new strains of the virus are gravely alarming and could pose a threat here in America and across the globe if we do not do all we can to contain the virus and its new variants,” he stated.
