Recently India helped U.S. and lifted the ban on exports of hydroxychloroquine at the time of global pandemic as requested by the U.S. President. Now, its India`s right time to ask the return favor for hydroxychloroquine the same from the U.S.
Corona Pandemic
United States (U.S.) has emerged as a hotspot of corona virus. The U.S. has become the world’s first country to have registered more than 2,000 Covid-19 deaths in a single day with 2,108 fatalities reported on 9th to 10th April, while the number of infections in America has crossed 500,000, the highest in the world. New York has emerged as the epicenter of COVID-19 deaths, has registered over 1.8 lakh positive cases in United States. It is more than any other country and more than 8,627 people in New York have died due to corona virus till 12th April, 2020.
Hydroxychloroquine
At the time of disaster, the US Food and Drug Administration identified hydroxychloroquine as a possible treatment for the Covid-19 while tested on more than 1,500 corona virus patients in New York. It is anticipating that it will work, given initial positive results. In this regards U.S. President Donald Trump spoke to PM Modi to lift the restrictions on export of hydroxychloroquine as India banned the export of hydroxychloroquine and any formulation containing it on March 25. The ban was expanded to cover exports from special economic zones, blocking pending orders, including from the US. Apart from the US, about 30 countries, including South Asian neighbours and key global partners in West Asia, had asked India to lift the ban on hydroxychloroquine exports.
Relaxation in the exports of hydroxychloroquine
After US and other countries requests, India relaxed the exports of hydroxychloroquine after proper accessing the situation even India is also in the same position right now. The foreign ministry said India will export the medicines in appropriate quantities to neighboring countries and nations that have been badly hit by the pandemic.
“In view of the humanitarian aspects of the pandemic, it has been decided that India would licence paracetamol and HCQ in appropriate quantities to all our neighboring countries that are dependent on our capabilities,” said MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava. “We will also be supplying these essential drugs to some nations who have been particularly badly affected by the pandemic.”
U.S. thanked India
U.S. President Donald Trump thanked India for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to allow the export of malaria drug Hydroxychloroquine to the United States.
Trump said in a tweet, a day after India lifted the hold on export of the drug to the U.S. that “Extraordinary times require even closer cooperation between friends. Thank you India and the Indian people for the decision on HCQ. Will not be forgotten!”
After doing so much favor to the USA, India is in now in strong position to ask the return favor for hydroxychloroquine from the USA. There are various favors which India can ask from the USA.
For starters India has already asked U.S. for cutting edge equipment to test Covid 19. India has requested the U.S. for cutting edge testing equipment to help early detection of covid-19. The request was made by Indian foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla in a telephonic conversation with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen E. Biegun. Following the above India can ask for more favors from USA on various issues. Some of those issues are as follows:
Greater access of the U.S market for India Pharmaceutical Companies
India Pharma Sector has proved its efficiency as well as the quality to the world. Other than U.S. around 30 countries are demanding the medicines at their crucial times from Indian companies. It shows their trust in the Indian Companies. India Pharma Companies already proved their capability to the world. India has emerged as a humanitarian country and also a good friend in the bad times of U.S, so it’s right time for the U.S. to return the favor and it should relax the foreign trade terms for Pharmaceutical companies of India and give more access to the American market.
Manufacturing of anti-biotics in India
U.S. is already worried about Chinese control of American drug supplies. The global spread of the corona virus is reigniting efforts by the Trump administration to encourage more American manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and reduce dependence on China for the drugs, anti-biotics and medical products that fuel the federal health care system. The U.S. government is considering shifting the dependency from China to U.S. itself as well as countries other than China. In this regards, India can play a vital role and request the U.S. to establish its manufacturing units of Anti-Biotic in India and it would be a return favor for hydroxychloroquine.
Waiver of sanctions for oil import from Iran
U.S. had imposed punitive sanctions on importing oil from Iran due to which India stopped the oil import from Iran which was economical as compared to importing oil from other countries. Right now the oil prices has crashed down but in future it would rise again and India would again have to bear more cost for fuel and energy. So, it would be beneficial for India in a long term that U.S. lift the sanctions from Iran.
For humanitarian grounds also it is highly required right now to lift the sanctions as Iran is already suffering from the corona virus and urgently needs funds to tackle the pandemic.
Official Waiver on S-400 deal
India is under threat of U.S. sanctions for purchase deal of S-400 missile defense system from Russia. Although U.S. shown no signal to sanction till now as the India-US relations is growing rapidly both commercially and culturally but it is still better to take official written waiver on S-400 deal from U.S. to avoid the future uncertainty.
Lifting of Terrorist Tag from Baloch Liberation Army (BLA)
The U.S. had declared the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) a militant organization under country`s Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) listing last year. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) is a separatist group that primarily operates in Pakistan’s Balochistan province which demands independence of Balochistan from Pakistan. Since Pakistan is constantly raising the Kashmir issue in various international platforms, India should also counter the same by requesting U.S. to lift terrorist tag from Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) in return favor of hydroxychloroquine. It would definitely put pressure on Pakistan and also discourage it to raise the Kashmir issue on international platforms.
More Cooperation between NASA and ISRO
NASA and ISRO are currently working on space project named “NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR)“. It is one of the biggest joint effort of the two space agencies. NASA is providing one of the radars for the mission while ISRO is providing another, along with the spacecraft bus and launch vehicle. India can ask more space cooperation between NASA and ISRO for the future space missions that would definitely help ISRO to grow at more pace.
Suggest your opinion to the Government
If you have any other suggestions that India can ask in return favor, then reply your suggestion in the comment section. It’s all upon you and your judgement capabilities to suggest more options.
Source: Study IQ