US agrees to export COVID vaccine raw materials to India, lifts embargo amid rising cases

As India battles devastating second wave of COVID-19 pandemic with nation clocking more than 3 lakh cases every day and making a new high in single day spike of COVID-19 infections, US government has decided to lift  export ban on essential raw materials required by vaccine manufacturer in India for production of COVID-19 vaccine.

This development comes as National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and US counterpart Jake Sullivan had a phone conversation regarding dangerous spike in COVID-19 infections across country. Sullivan affirmed America’s solidarity with India, two countries with greatest number of COVID-19 cases in world.

A statement released by White House read, "Just as India sent assistance to United States as our hospitals were strained early in pandemic, United States is determined to help India in its time of need." 

This also seemingly comes after several US lawmakers voiced ir concerns over  COVID-19 situation in India. y exerted pressure on Biden administration to extend assistance, release vaccines and or raw materials critical for India.

'Identified source of specific raw material'

" United States has identified sources of specific raw material urgently required for Indian manufacture of Covishield vaccine that will immediately be made available for India. To help treat COVID-19 patients and protect front-line health workers in India, United States has identified supplies of rapeutics, rapid diagstic test kits, ventilators, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that will immediately be made available for India," statement read.

" United States also is pursuing options to provide oxygen generation and related supplies on an urgent basis. U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is funding a substantial expansion of manufacturing capability for BioE, vaccine manufacturer in India, enabling BioE to ramp up to produce at least 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines by end of 2022," statement added.

Adar Poonawalla appeals to Biden

Earlier in April, Serum Institute of India's (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla had requested United States President Joe Biden to lift embargo of raw material exports from US. Taking to Twitter, Poonawalla appealed to Biden Poonawalla to lift ban by stating that it will "ramp up"  vaccine production amid COVID-19 pandemic.

SII is currently manufacturing AstraZeneca-Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccine 'Covishield' and it will reportedly soon start producing vavax vaccine, developed by US biotech company. Poonawalla had also said in an interview that SII was struggling due to an embargo in US and India requires those materials sooner. He also said that India has ruled out importing raw materials from China considering quality issues.

India continues to grapple with alarming surge of COVID-19 infections, deploying all its resources to battle pandemic. country has recorded over a million infections in four days, with 349,961 new cases on Sunday. Sunday's record spike has become ar highest single-day spike globally. According to Union Health Ministry, country has recorded 2,767 new deaths due to COVID-19 in last 24 hours.