We will defeat COVID-19 together, says American envoy on India-US partnership

US Charge d'Affaires to India, Daniel B Smith said that the US-India partnership involves all aspects of the relationship and exuded confidence that both countries will defeat COVID-19 together.

Taking to Twitter, Smith recalled that vaccine components arrived in India from the US this week, which will enable the manufacturing of 20 million doses of the Covishield vaccine

"The #USIndia partnership involves all aspects of the relationship: government, business, and people. This week, vaccine components arrived in India from the U.S. that will enable the manufacturing of 20 million doses of the Covishield vaccine. Together we will defeat COVID-19!" he tweeted.

Earlier, President Joe Biden on Tuesday (local time) provided an update from the White House on goals for providing AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine to countries by July 4.

"I am not prepared to announce who else we will be giving the vaccine to, but we are going to by the Fourth of July have spent about 10 per cent of what we have to other nations including some of the ones who you mentioned," said Biden while responding to a question about when vaccines will be provided to countries like India and Brazil.

"We're helping Brazil and India, significantly. I spoke to Prime Minister Modi. What he needs most is the material and the parts to be able to have his machines that can make the vaccine work. We're sending oxygen. We're sending them a lot of the precursors. So, we're doing a lot for India," he said.

A flight from the USA carrying 1,000 oxygen cylinders, regulators and other medical equipment landed in India on Saturday night, the Ministry of External Affairs informed.

"Cooperation with US continues! Another flight from USA arrives carrying over 1000 oxygen cylinders, regulators & other medical equipment. Third shipment in a period of 2 days adding to our oxygen capacities. Grateful to US for its support," tweeted Arindam Bagchi, official spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs.

US will be sending supplies worth more than USD 100 million to India, including 1,000 refillable oxygen cylinders, 15 million N95 masks, and one million rapid diagnostic tests.

( With inputs from ANI )