New Delhi (NVI): Just over a month after he went gaga over ties with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Donald Trump today issued a warning of “retaliation” if the Indian leader did not allow export of a particular drug to America.
Within hours of his issuing the threat, India said it will be supplying the drug Hydroxychloroquine (HCG) to “some nations who have been particularly badly affected by the pandemic”, an obvious reference to the US where coronavirus has caused havoc.
“In view of the humanitarian aspects of the pandemic, it has been decided that India would licence paracetamol and HCQ in appropriate quantities to all our neighbouring countries who are dependent on our capabilities,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said in a statement.
“We will also be supplying these essential drugs to some nations who have been particularly badly affected by the pandemic. We would therefore discourage any speculation in this regard or any attempts to politicise the matter,” he added.
The MEA spokesperson’s statement came after Trump spoke to reporters in Washington on the issue of HCG, which the US believes can help in the cure of coronavirus.
Trump said, “For many years, they (India) have been taking advantage of the United States on trade. I spoke to him (PM Narendra Modi) Sunday morning and I said we appreciate it that you are allowing our supply (of Hydroxychloroquine) to come out. If he doesn’t allow it to come out, that would be okay. But of course, there may be retaliation, why wouldn’t there be?”
Interestingly, the threat from the US President came just over a month after his visit to India during which Modi hosted a mega event ‘Namaste Trump’ in Ahmedabad. Trump had gone gaga over the reception he received and described Modi as a ‘friend’.
In response to queries related to Trump’s threat, Srivastava said, “We have seen some attempts by sections of the media to create unnecessary controversy over the issue of COVID19 related drugs and pharmaceuticals.”
He said that like any responsible government, “our first obligation is to ensure that there are adequate stocks of medicines for the requirement of our own people. In order to ensure this, some temporary steps were taken to restrict exports of a number of pharmaceutical products.”
In the meanwhile, the spokesman said, a comprehensive assessment was made of possible requirements under different scenarios.
“After having confirmed the availability of medicines for all possible contingencies currently envisaged, these restrictions have been largely lifted. The DGFT (Directorate General of Foreign Trade) has notified lifting restrictions on 14 drugs yesterday,” he said.
“With regard to paracetamol and Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), they will be kept in a licensed category and their demand position would be continuously monitored. However, the stock position could allow our companies to meet the export commitments that they had contracted,” Srivastava said.
“Given the enormity of the COVID19 pandemic, India has always maintained that the international community must display strong solidarity and cooperation. This approach also guided our evacuation of nationals of other countries,” he said.
