India will do what it can, Modi says after Trump thanks him for HCQ

Modi, Trump move on after hitch over HCQ, reaffirm India-US partnership against COVID-19

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United States President Donald Trump sought to move on from the hitch over the Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and reaffirm India-America partnership in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trump said that the US would not forget that India had relaxed the ban on the export of HCQ to enable it to procure the drug for the treatment of the COVID-19 infected Americans. “Extraordinary times require even closer cooperation between friends. Thank you India and the Indian people for the decision on HCQ. Will not be forgotten!” Trump posted on Twitter, a day after the Modi Government in New Delhi decided to relax the ban it had earlier imposed on the export of the drug.

“Thank you Prime Minister @NarendraModi for your strong leadership in helping not just India, but humanity, in this fight!” added the US President, who had earlier warned of “retaliation” to step up pressure on New Delhi to relax the ban.

Modi replied to Trump stating that India would do whatever it could to contribute to the efforts to contain the pandemic. “Fully agree with you President @realDonaldTrump. Times like these bring friends closer. The India-US partnership is stronger than ever,” tweeted the Prime Minister, adding: “India shall do everything possible to help humanity's fight against COVID-19. We shall win this together.”

The HCQ, an anti-malaria drug, has been recommended for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, not only in India and the United States but also in many other countries around the world.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) of the Government of India had banned the export of the anti-malaria drug on April 4 “without any exception”. This had created a roadblock for the US and the other countries to procure the drug from India.

Trump had on Sunday called Modi and requested him to relax the ban so that the US could procure the drug from India. He subtly stepped up pressure on New Delhi late on Monday and warned of “retaliation” if the US was not allowed to import the drug from India.

Just hours after Trump talked tough on New Delhi’s ban on the export of the HCQ, the Modi Government early on Tuesday announced that India would allow export of the drug to its neighbours in South Asia as well as some other worst COVID-19 affected countries. It hinted that the US would be among the countries, which would be allowed to procure the drug from India.

The Congress and other opposition parties criticized the Modi Government for its decision to allow export of the HCQ to the US instead of strongly responding to the American President’s warning about “retaliation”. The government, however, said that it had decided to allow export of the drug only after ensuring availability of it in adequate quantities in the country to meet domestic requirements in the event of a rapid surge in the number of the people infected by the COVID-19.