India on Tuesday acknowledged the solidarity that France has expressed in dealing with the COVID-19 situation in the country, informed sources said. Coinciding with the delivery of five Rafale jets, Paris also sent a large consignment of medical items to counter the pandemic in India, which is now ranked the global third in the spread of the novel coronavirus after the United States and Brazil.
“We are also happy to have received a letter from the French President Emmanuel Macron, addressed to the Prime Minister, expressing France’s solidarity with India at this difficult time,” said the source.
The official said the India-France partnership will be even more crucial in the post-pandemic scenario, including in the domain of humanitarian assistance. It is understood that the French support is a gesture in response to India providing life-saving drugs to France to counter the pandemic.
“The material being provided by France includes: 50 Osiris-3 ventilators; 70 Yuwell-830 ventilators with BIPAP mode; 50,000 serological tests (lgM/lgc Du test kits by Biosensor); 50,000 nose and throat swabs. The ventilators and test kits are being received by the Indian Red Cross Society and ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) respectively,” the source said.
