WASHINGTON: India is a strategic ally of the US and it needs America's help in its ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, top lawmakers here have said, urging the Biden administration to share the extra vaccines with New Delhi.
They also said that at the same time, while assisting friends and allies, US intellectual property and innovations should be protected.
"India, a strategic ally, needs our help in its ongoing fight against COVID-19. Our abundant vaccine supply gives us opportunities to help our partners around the globe, where help is needed the most," Congressman Brad Wenstrup said.
'Operation Warp Speed' delivered safe and effective vaccines in record time, the Republican lawmaker tweeted.
"We must always protect American innovation and IP while, at the same time, assisting our friends in need around the world," Wenstrup said.
President Biden last week announced that the US will allocate 75 per cent, nearly 1.9 crore of the first tranche of 2.5 crore doses, of unused COVID-19 vaccines from its stockpile through the UN-backed COVAX global vaccine sharing programme to several countries.
India will be a "significant recipient" of the US vaccines as India has been included in both the identified categories in the allocation - direct supply to neighbours and partner countries, and under the COVAX initiative, according to India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu.
Congressman Jim Costa said that as India continues to fight its COVID-19 crisis, it is important to continue to share extra vaccines to help friends and important allies.
The Democractic lawmaker said a return to normalcy and eventual end to this brutal pandemic will require global cooperation.
Dozens of US Congressmen and senators have come out in support of India and urged the Biden administration to provide support to overcome the worst medical crisis.
The Indian Embassy here has been reaching out to lawmakers to appraise them about the ground realities in India.
In April and May, India struggled with the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with more than 3,00,000 daily new cases.
Hospitals were reeling under a shortage of medical oxygen and beds.
In mid-May, new coronavirus cases in India hit a record daily high with 4,12,262 new infections.
On Tuesday, India reported less than one lakh new coronavirus infections after a gap of 63 days, while the daily positivity rate dropped to 4.62 per cent.
A single day rise of 86,498 cases were registered, the lowest in 66 days, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 2,89,96,473.
The COVID-19 death toll climbed to 3,51,309 with 2,123 daily deaths, the lowest in 47 days.