AS INDIA BATTLES 2ND COVID WAVE, TURKEY, SAUDI ARABIA, PAKISTAN, QATAR, IRAN EXTEND HELPING HAND

Wed 28 April 2021:

The world is seeing a clearer picture of exactly how seriously Covid-19 is ravaging India. With reports and gutting images emerging from New Delhi’s overrun hospitals and cremation sites, experts say that the death toll is much greater than the 193,000 the government has reported. The country of 1.3 billion is now the global epicenter of the pandemic.

Several countries, including India’s political rivals China and Pakistan, are responding to the humanitarian crisis. Amid expressions of solidarity from world leaders, here’s a list of muslim countries mobilizing to send much needed medical equipment, oxygen, vaccines, and treatments so far.

Senior Turkish, Indian officials discuss coronavirus

Turkish presidential spokesman discussed the latest developments on the coronavirus outbreak with the Indian national security adviser on Tuesday.

Ibrahim Kalin told Ajit Doval that Ankara was ready to offer help and show solidarity with India which is dealing with a sharp escalation of the virus, according to diplomatic sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Pakistan offers to help India

Last week Pakistan offered to help longtime rival India in its efforts to stem a catastrophic COVID-19 wave that has ravaged the world’s second-most populous country.

The Pakistani government is sending medical equipment to its arch-rival. “As a gesture of solidarity with the people of India in the wake of the current wave of COVID-19, Pakistan has offered to provide relief support to India including ventilators, Bi PAP, digital X ray machines, PPEs, and related items,” a government spokesperson said in an April 25 statement.

Social welfare organization Edhi Foundation is also ready to send a fleet of 50 ambulances manned by Pakistani health professionals to help in India’s pandemic response. They are awaiting clearance from the Modi government.

The concerned authorities of Pakistan and India, the statement said, can work out modalities for “quick delivery of the relief items.”

“They can also explore possible ways of further cooperation to mitigate the challenges posed by the pandemic,” the statement concluded.

Saudi Arabia

The Saudi government sent 80 metric tons of liquid oxygen on April 24 via the Indian-owned shipping companies Adani Group and Linde. The first tanks are headed to the port of Mundra.

Thank you @IndianEmbRiyadh. Indeed, actions speak louder than words. We are on an urgent mission to secure oxygen supplies from across the world. This first shipment of 4 ISO cryogenic tanks with 80 tons of liquid oxygen is now on its way from Dammam to Mundra. (1/3) https://t.co/BLZ0SbQ499 pic.twitter.com/lFKnx0hIhX

— Gautam Adani (@gautam_adani) April 24, 2021

PM Modi Thanks Qatar’s Amir For Offering Support In India’s COVID-19 Fight

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke to Qatar’s Amir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and thanked him for his country’s offer of support to India in its fight against COVID-19.

In a tweet, PM Modi said he also conveyed gratitude for the care being provided to the Indian community in Qatar.

Had a very pleasant conversation with my good friend @TamimBinHamad. Conveyed greetings for Qatar’s forthcoming National Day. Qatar is a vital pillar of India’s energy security and a valued source of FDI. We agreed to deepen our cooperation in all areas.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 8, 2020

“Had a good conversation with His Highness @TamimBinHamad, Amir of Qatar today. I thanked His Highness for the solidarity and offer of support in India’s fight against COVID-19. I also conveyed our gratitude for the care being provided to the Indian community in Qatar,” PM Modi tweeted.

Iran Pledges ‘any Kind Of Assistance’ To Help India.

Iran offers to help COVID-19 disaster in India

Iran on Sunday expressed the willingness to help India in its fight against COVID-19. Iranian Health Minister Saeed Namaki, in a letter to his Indian counterpart Harsh Vardhan on Sunday, stated that Iran is ready to supply India with “any kind of assistance required to rein in the new wave of COVID-19.”

He added, that Iran expresses regret about the mounting infections from deadly wave hit in India and its death toll. “India is facing a COVID-19 Tsunami which has brought the country’s health system on the verge of collapse,” Iranian Health Minister Saeed Namaki said in the letter, according to state-run IRNA.

He added that it would be impossible to tackle the existing coronavirus pandemic that challenges the healthcare system without empathy, cooperation, and assistance from all countries, as well as fair delivery of all effective means of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for all in need of medical help.

#India is going through a difficult situation as the 2nd wave of the #COVID19 has hit the country hard with daily cases going past 300,000 and the death toll also taking a huge jump. The country is facing a shortage in oxygen supply and essential drugs required to control virus. pic.twitter.com/V8LG4WTCrO

— Saudi-Expatriates.com (@saudiexpat) April 26, 2021

UAE offers all resources to support India’s fight against covid-19

The UAE has offered to dedicate “all resources” to support India, which is engulfed in a fresh wave of Covid-19 infections. On Monday, six cryogenic oxygen storage containers were airlifted from Dubai to West Bengal in India and similar service is planned on to Tuesday to bolster supply chains.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, expressed the UAE’s keenness to dedicate all resources in support of the efforts currently undertaken by the Indian government to tackle this unprecedented crisis. The minister affirmed his confidence in India’s ability to overcome the challenging circumstances.

Sheikh Abdullah spoke over the phone to Indian Minister of External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar, Jaishankar appreciated the call from Sheikh Abdullah and said: “As always, deeply value good wishes and international cooperation.”

On Monday afternoon, Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft airlifted six oxygen containers from Dubai. The relief effort was coordinated by Indian Ministry of Home Affairs.

Indian news agency ANI quoted a defence public relations officer saying that the C-17 aircraft will fly six oxygen containers from Dubai to Panagarh in West Bengal.

“Airlift for another 6 containers from Dubai is planned for tomorrow (Tuesday),” ANI tweeted.

Indian Ambassador to the UAE Pavan Kapoor tweeted: “India appreciates the UAE’s strong support to its close friend in difficult times.”

“We thank our friend UAE for standing by us in these testing times,” Indian Embassy said.

The number of coronavirus deaths in India has surpassed 200,000, official data shows, as the country deals with medical supply shortages and a recent surge in infections.

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