Coronavirus: Trump's 200 ventilators ‘donated’ to India cost $2.6 million

The estimated cost of each mobile ventilator “donated” by the United States to India is about Rs 10 lakh.

The US will airlift 200 such mobile ventilators, According to a report by the Hindustan Times.

A government official told the newspaper that the consignment will arrive by May-end or latest by early June.

“Each of these mobile ventilators is estimated to cost $13,000 (Rs 9.6 lakh at current exchange rates) without accounting for the transportation costs.

In all, the ventilators will cost about $2.6 million (or Rs 19.2 crore) plus freight charges,” the official was quoted as saying. Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.

This cost would be borne by United States Agency for International Development (USAID), government sources.

Underlining the close partnership between the two countries, President Donald Trump, on May 16, announced that the United States would donate ventilators to India.

“I am proud to announce that the United States will donate ventilators to our friends in India. We stand with India and @narendramodi during this pandemic. We’re also cooperating on vaccine development. Together we will beat the invisible enemy!” Trump added in a tweet.

PM Modi responded on Twitter by saying: “Thank you @POTUS @realDonaldTrump. This pandemic is being fought collectively by all of us.

Continuing further Modi said, in such times, it’s always important for nations to work together and do as much as possible to make our world healthier and free from COVID-19. More power to India – US friendship!”.

In April, at Trump's request, India allowed the export of 50 million hydroxychloroquine tablets to treat COVID-19 patients in the US, the country worst hit by the pandemic.