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The US has assured India that it is acting on its request for more remdesivir and informed that supply of oxygen and related equipment will continue to be its key priority to help the country deal with the surge in Covid-19 infections and deaths.
US Secretary of State Tony Blinken and External Affairs Minister Jaishankar also discussed increasing vaccine production in India through collaboration in a meeting in London on Monday, a source tracking the meet told BusinessLine .
Covid-19: US working closely with India to help address crisis, says American officials
Blinken and Jaishankar visited London to attend the G-7 Foreign Ministers meet where India has been invited as a guest.
In-depth discussion on the Covid challenge and the immediate requirements of India were held between the two. “Blinken assured Jaishankar that the US was monitoring developments closely and would respond positively to any Indian requirements and that the next shipment from the US is landing soon,” the source said.
US flights with medical supplies to India delayed till Wednesday
As India is facing an acute shortage of oxygen and related equipment and remdesivir — an imported medicine being used for treating Covid — Blinken said that the US had noted the requirements and this would be priority.
The US has already sent two shipments of essentials to India, which includes oxygen cylinders and diagnostic kits.
Climate change too discussed
“Expressed appreciation for the strong US support to India at this difficult time, especially oxygen and remdesivir. Our meeting also covered issues of Indo-Pacific, UN Security Council, Myanmar and climate change,” Jaishankar tweeted after the meeting.
The two leaders also discussed collaborating bilaterally and in Quad format through multilateral initiatives for increasing production of vaccines in India.
Both also noted that climate action and clean energy can be areas of cooperation and early operationalisation of the 2030 Clean Energy Agenda was important, the source added.
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