President Donald Trump has warned India that the US mayretaliate if it did not export anti-malarial drug Hydroxychloroquine despitehis personal request, saying he would be surprised in case of a negativeoutcome as New Delhi has good relations with Washington.
Hydroxychloroquine, an old and inexpensive drug used totreat malaria, is seen as a viable therapeutic solution by President Trump tocoronavirus that has so far killed more than 10,000 Americans and infected over3.6 lakh within weeks.
Last week Trump said he has sought help from Prime MinisterNarendra Modi to allow the sale of Hydroxychloroquine tablets ordered by the USto treat the growing number of coronavirus patients in his country, hours afterIndia banned the export of the anti-malarial drug.
“I would be surprised if he would, you know, becauseIndia does very well with the United States,” Trump told reporters duringa press briefing at the White House on Monday.
Last month, India imposed a ban on the export onHydroxychloroquine, on which Trump is now banking heavily for the treatment ofCOVID-19 patients.
India has received similar requests from several othercountries including its immediate neighbours Sri Lanka and Nepal. India hassaid that it is reviewing its export ban order.
Notably, India’s decision to ban the exports ofHydroxychloroquine is driven by its desire to take stock of the domesticrequirements and ensure that the country has enough in its kitty.
Reiterating that for many years, India has been takingadvantage of the US on trade, Trump said that he would be surprised if NewDelhi was to stop export of Hydroxychloroquine to the US.
“So, I would be surprised if that were his decision.He’d have to tell me that. I spoke to him Sunday morning, called him, and Isaid we’d appreciate your allowing our supply to come out. If he doesn’t allowit to come out, that would be okay, but of course there may be retaliation. Whywouldn’t there be?” Trump said.
His remarks came at a time when both countries are in thegrip of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) hasrecommended the anti-malarial drug for those involved in the care of suspectedor confirmed cases of the coronavirus and also, for the asymptomatic householdcontacts of laboratory confirmed cases.
On Monday, a senior State Department official said thatIndia has been a significant partner of the US in the pharmaceutical sector andit expects similar cooperation to continue between the economies.
India has long been a significant partner of the UnitedStates in the pharmaceutical sector, Alice G Wells, the Acting AssistantSecretary of State for South and Central Asia, told reporters during a pressbriefing.
The Trump administration has already created a nationalstrategic stockpile of 29 million doses of the malaria drug, anticipating thatits test results on more than 1,500 COVID-19 patients in New York is yieldingpositive results.
Global scientists, racing against time to find either avaccine or a therapeutic cure to the virus, have begun testingHydroxychloroquine and chloroquine as candidates for potential COVID-19treatments and the FDA last week issued an Emergency Use Authorization for theprescription of the drugs in certain circumstances.
In addition to New York, COVID-19 patients in several Statesare being treated with Hydroxychloroquine, including Michigan and Texas.
Based on some initial results, the Trump administration isbanking heavily on using Hydroxychloroquine for the successful treatment ofcoronavirus.
According to Trump, the drug is yielding positive results.If successful, he told reporters that it would be a gift from heaven.