A White House spokesperson announced that India is an “incredibly important” partner to the US in the region and globally, underlining that the US is working with the country on wide-ranging issues like economic, strategic and security.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki in a public briefing said the US took a range of steps to help India to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“India is an incredibly important partner to the United States in the region and globally. We work with India on a range of issues, as you well know — economic, strategic, security,” Psaki told reporters at the daily news conference.
“The United States certainly took a range of steps as India was at the early stages of dealing with a rise in the pandemic to help provide a range of assistance, and we will continue to do that moving forward,” Psaki said in response to a question.
In April and May, India struggled with the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with more than 300,000 daily new cases. Hospitals were reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and beds. In mid-May, new cases in India hit a record daily high with 412,262 new infections. In May, President Joe Biden announced USD 100 million worth of COVID assistance to India.
The US-India Chambers of Commerce Foundation has raised more than USD 1.2 million for COVID-related efforts in India. With a record-breaking fundraising, the foundation has shipped or en route nearly 120 ventilators and over 1,000 oxygen concentrators, a release said.
On June 4, Vice-President Kamala Harris called PM Narendra Modi to inform him about the administration’s decision to send life-saving vaccines to India.
Significant recipient of US vaccines
The US-India Chambers of Commerce Foundation has raised more than $1.2 million for Covid-related efforts in India.
The foundation has shipped nearly 120 ventilators and over 1,000 oxygen concentrators, a release said.
Also, India will be a significant recipient of the US vaccines after Joe Biden announced details of his administration’s decision to send 25 million shots to countries across the globe.