The Joe Biden administration is eager to continue the partnership with India in the fight against COVID-19, the White House on Friday said, adding that the US will continue to provide assistance to New Delhi in form the vaccine.
The delay in providing COVID-19 vaccines from the US to India is not because of Washington, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on August 6. She added, “I would say first that we have seen in some places that there are legal or regulatory issues that need to be worked out country by country as we are delivering vaccines."
“The holdup is not on this end but we are eager to get vaccines and continue assistance to the people of India and want to continue to be a part of the arsenal of solving the pandemic,” the White House Press Secretary said, news agency PTI reported.
“We are eager to continue to be partners with them, to continue to provide assistance, including in the form of vaccines."
Meanwhile, Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi said on Friday that the US has only provided 7.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to India, which is not enough, and added, “As we approach Indian Independence Day, we need to declare our independence from Covid by creating the global partnership necessary to produce and deliver the billions of vaccines necessary to truly bring this pandemic to an end."
On Tuesday, President Joe Biden said that the United States is trying to help India and other nations to be able to produce vaccines by themselves.