Biden, Harris Assures India to Support in Fight Against COVID-19

The United States is determined to “help” India as it faces unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, said US President Joe Biden.In a tweet, Biden acknowledged last year’s assistance from India to America when the latter was facing a healthcare crisis. Last year during the first COVID-19 wave, India shipped 50 million tablets of hydroxychloroquine to the United States following a request by then US President Donald Trump.

“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 tweeted.

“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 said in a tweet.

The tweets by Biden and Harris are the first reactions by the top American leadership after the recent outbreak of deadly COVID19 pandemic in India. The two have been criticizsed by friends of India in the US, including some of their own party leaders, for slow response to the American help to their natural ally.

Earlier on Sunday, the United States announced that it will provide the raw material required for the Indian manufacture of the Covishield vaccine to India. The announcement was made after National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke on the phone with Indian counterpart Ajit Doval, expressing deep sympathy for the people of India following the recent spike in COVID-19 cases.

According to a readout from The White House, Sullivan affirmed America’s solidarity with India. US and India are the two countries with the greatest number of COVID-19 cases in the world. Meanwhile, US Vice President Kamala Harris has said America is working closely with the Indian government to rapidly deploy additional support and supplies during an alarming COVID-19 outbreak.

“The U.S. 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 tweeted.