New Delhi: Taking their bilateral relations to a new level, France has donated 120 ventilators and 50,000 COVID-19 testing kits to India to combat the fast spread of the coronavirus cases.
The ventilators and test kits were received by the Indian Red Cross Society and ICMR, respectively from French Ambassador Emmanuel Lenain on Tuesday.
“France is an important strategic partner for India and in view of our very friendly relationship and close cooperation on various issues, India had provided at short notice, certain life-saving drugs to France in their time of need to help them deal with the pandemic,”sources in the ministry of external affairs said.
“France has now provided medical equipment and expertise to India for our response to the Covid-19 pandemic and it is a happy coincidence that this equipment has arrived at the same time as the Rafale jets are supposed to land,”they added.
“France and India are working together closely on the international response to the Covid-19 pandemic as well as providing reciprocal assistance according to the needs of the two countries,”the French Embassy said in a statement.
Delighted to hand over #COVID19 medical equipment from France to Shri RK Jain, Secy General @IndianRedCross.
— Emmanuel Lenain (@FranceinIndia) July 28, 2020
France earlier granted €200 MN in financial aid to India thro’ @AFD_en. With @IFCCI1 CSR committee, French companies, too, have contributed to relief efforts in India. pic.twitter.com/1UEzpp6Dwn
French President Emmanuel Macron recently announced the donation of medical equipment from France to India as well as the provision of technical expertise.
As part of this medical assistance package, France has provided to India 50 Osiris-3 ventilators and 70 Yuwell 830 ventilators with bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) mode.
Osiris ventilators are particularly useful for emergency transport, intra-hospital transfer and recovery; they have different ventilation modes, including non-invasive ventilation.
The Yuwell 830 ventilators have BiPAP - a non-invasive technique to supply oxygen to the lungs without intubation. These high-quality ventilators meet the needs of Indian hospitals.
France also donated 50,000 high-quality serological IgG/IgM test kits and 50,000 nose and throat swabs and modes of medical transport.
France had previously extended financial support of 200 million euros to India through the French Development Agency (AFD) to boost social welfare systems and protect vulnerable people in India.
The credit financing agreement was signed on June 22, with the programme designed by the World Bank already being rolled out.
India on Tuesday reported 47,704 more COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the country's count of coronavirus cases to 14,83,157, informed the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
“We are also happy to have also received a letter from the French President Emmanuel Macron addressed to Prime Minister expressing France’s solidarity with India at this difficult time. The India-France partnership will be even more crucial in the post-pandemic scenario including in the domain of humanitarian assistance,”the sources added.
In a letter dated July 24 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Macron wrote about the decision taken by France to send medical equipment and technical assistance to India, stating that this gesture reflected the exceptional nature of the partnership between the two countries.
Delivered @narendramodi message on international ITER project in France for energy from thermonuclear fusion.
— Jawed Ashraf (@JawedAshraf5) July 28, 2020
PM’s message says India’s key contribution underlines:
1.India works for good of humanity
2.We can Make in India at highest global level. https://t.co/cuBkEplj0C pic.twitter.com/59Sy9WRnFP
"When France was going through a critical phase of this public health crisis earlier this spring, India was by our side. It played a very important role with regard to medicines. I wish to thank you once again for having authorised the export of medicines essential for the treatment of critically ill patients. This gesture reflected the exceptional nature of the partnership between our two countries," he said.
"India, in turn, is going through a difficult phase of the crisis. In these painful times for your nation, I desired France to stand fully by your side. To this end, I directed that we be able to respond to the needs identified by your administration by extending aid that is exceptional in its scope and modalities. I believe that it is during tough times that historic ties are forged and strengthened between nations," the embassy quoted Macron's letter.
