COVID: US to send supplies worth USD 100mn to India; first shipment airlifted

The US has said it would send supplies worth more than USD100 million to India as part of its commitment to use every resource at its disposal to support India’s frontline healthcare workers in their battle against COVID-19.

Supplies including 1,100 oxygen cylinders, 1,700 oxygen concentrators and 15 million N95 masks would be sent to India in the coming days, the White House said on Wednesday (April 28). The Department of Defense on Wednesday airlifted the first shipment of American aid to India from a military base in California. The flight is scheduled to land in India on Thursday.

“The United States is committed to use every resource at its disposal to support India’s frontline healthcare workers in their battle against COVID-19,” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said.

Thanks to @US_TRANSCOM, @AirMobilityCmd, @Travis60AMW & @DLAmil for hustling to prepare critical @USAID medical supplies for shipping. As I’ve said, we’re committed to use every resource at our disposal, within our authority, to support India’s frontline healthcare workers. pic.twitter.com/JLvuuIgV46

— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) April 29, 2021

Austin thanked various wings of his armed services for hustling to prepare the critical medical supplies.

“As I’ve said, we’re committed to use every resource at our disposal, within our authority, to support India’s frontline healthcare workers,” he said in a tweet along with four pictures of the first shipment.

“Help is on the way. Our hearts are with our friends in India as they battle this terrible disease, and our first plane of emergency medical supplies is wheels down tomorrow,” said Emily Horne, spokesperson of the National Security Council of the White House.

Indian-American Ajay Jain Bhutoria, a Democratic party leader from California, welcomed the timely announcement and shipment of healthcare material to India by the Biden administration.

This includes raw materials for vaccines, therapeutic oxygen generators, ventilators and financial support to India to fight the coronavirus.

US government assistance flights will start arriving in India on Thursday and will continue into next week, it said.

(With inputs from agencies)