The US-India Business Council, in partnership with institutions of the Global Task Force on Pandemic Response (GTF), announced the result of their relief efforts to supplement India’s fight against its devastating second wave of COVID-19.
The GTF Steering Committee and CEOs also had the opportunity to engage directly with India’s Minister of External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar, who highlighted the importance of effective and smooth supply chains, and India’s current priorities including oxygen, vaccines and pharmaceuticals.
"The speed with which the COVID crisis in India has escalated and ravaged the entire country has created a sense of urgency in the corporate community," Nisha Desai Biswal, president of USIBC, said.
While the private sector has stepped up its engagements to support India in its time of need, USIBC has organised critical government-to-government engagements in the past two weeks, with a Town Hall updating on COVID relief efforts featuring Biswal to be held today and a Congressional briefing on India’s urgent and long-term healthcare needs with the leadership of the House Caucus on India and Indian Americans scheduled for May 25.
The Biden administration also announced that the United States will send 80 million surplus vaccines to help countries battling the pandemic by the end of June 2021.
The Global Task Force on Pandemic Response was launched to provide a unified platform for businesses to mobilize and deliver resources to assist COVID-19 efforts in areas of the highest need around the world. Initial efforts focussed on the pressing need for support in India
USIBC also encouraged all members and partners to express any material donation interest through the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s 'Resources for India’s COVID-19 Crisis' webpage.