The sides agreed to work in close cooperation on the issue of the pandemic, Mr. Bala Venkatesh Varma noted.
India is ready to lift the ban on the export of the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine to Russia for the treatment of patients infected with new coronavirus. Mr. Bala Venkatesh Varma, Ambassador of the Republic in Moscow, stated this in an interview with TASS. As the diplomat emphasized, India is ready to provide any support that Russia needs.
“As for the hydroxychloroquine that is produced in India, of course, we have our own needs for this medicine, but India stated that this is a humanitarian issue and we will support our close friends. Russia has an interest in it, and the Indian Government has guaranteed that we will do everything possible in the current conditions in the spirit of friendship between our countries. The Russian side has addressed us with a corresponding request, and we expect a positive response," he said.
According to the temporary eligibility guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health of Russia, the use of the following drugs is possible in the treatment of adult patients with coronavirus infection: hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine, mefloquine, azithromycin, tocilizumab, nadroparin calcium, lopinavir plus ritonavir, recombinant interferon beta-1b and recombinant interferon alpha. Umifenovir, remdesivir, favipiravir are undergoing clinical trials in patients with a confirmed diagnosis. In these recommendations, a group of antimalarial drugs was described as promising for the treatment of a disease caused by coronavirus.
Earlier, India banned the supply of paracetamol, hydroxychloroquine and other medications abroad amid disease outbreak. On April 7, Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Mr. Anurag Srivastava announced that India would supply a number of drugs used to treat coronavirus-induced diseases to countries that have been hit hard by the pandemic.
Close approaches
Russia and India have close approaches in the fight against coronavirus and have agreed to work in close cooperation on this issue, Mr. Bala Venkatesh Varma stated. According to him, Russia and India are looking for opportunities for cooperation in the face of a common threat and find mutual understanding both at the level of diplomats and at the highest political level.
In particular, the Ambassador recalled the telephone conversation held in March between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during which the sides agreed on further cooperation on the issue of the spread of coronavirus. "The leaders informed each other about the measures [against coronavirus] that are being taken in both countries, agreed to keep in touch and see if there is any area in which the sides can work together," Mr. Varma said. "Later, both leaders participated in the G20 video conference, which showed that the approaches of India and Russia to the fight against the pandemic are close," he added.
In support of the agreements of the Heads of the States, a conversation between Mr. Igor Morgulov, Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, and Mr. Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Foreign Secretary of India, was held on Thursday. “It was a very productive conversation. Both sides confirmed that they will keep each other informed, and expressed solidarity with the measures introduced in Russia and India,” the Indian Ambassador said.
He emphasized that the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic is a common challenge for the entire international community. "In India, the number of cases is also slowly increasing. We have confirmed about 6,500 cases of infection. The Government has taken a number of measures, a 21-day strict isolation regime has been announced throughout the country," the diplomat explained.
On March 25, a day ahead of the emergency G20 emergency summit, Vladimir Putin and Narendra Modi exchanged views on the situation around the coronavirus pandemic. The leaders of the two countries expressed mutual appreciation for the efforts being made to ensure the health and safety of Russian citizens in India and Indian citizens in Russia and agreed to enhance coordination in the fight against the coronavirus threat.
