India has received a lot of assistance and also commitments of assistance from the Gulf countries in the fight against coronavirus in the country, India's Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Friday. Giving an account of India's international cooperation on containing the pandemic at a special media briefing, Shringla mentioned help from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and other Gulf countries. He acknowledged "a special cargo flight from the UAE with ventilators and Favipiravir medicines," as reported by the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on Thursday. Favipiravir is an anti-viral option for treating COVID-19. Shringla said India is also in negotiations with the UAE to procure supplies of another anti-viral medicine, Remdesivir. "Wherever stocks are available, we are trying to contact them and trying to get it into our country at the earliest so that we can cover the short-term gap." He assured that all the equipment that is consigned to India for COVID-19 treatment will be expeditiously cleared, that there are blanket exemptions from the different taxes, customs duties and other dues that would normally have to be paid. "We want to make sure that this process is smooth right from the point that we identify sources of supply to the point that it actually reaches those of our citizens that need these items," Shringla said. Meanwhile, the government of Bahrain on Friday announced that it will be sending medical equipment and oxygen to support India's efforts to combat COVID-19. "The decision was taken by Bahrain's Cabinet and reflects the kingdom's commitment to supporting its allies, the Bahrain News Agency reported. The government expressed its solidarity with India and stressed its readiness to support international efforts to combat COVID-19. — Agencies
