US will rapidly deploy additional support to India amid COVID-19 surge: Antony Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken listens during a climate change virtual summit from the East Room of the White House campus. Pic/AFP

The US will rapidly deploy additional support to India and its health care heroes amidst the horrific COVID-19 outbreak, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said. Blinken's remarks came as pressure grew on the Biden administration to ship COVID-19 vaccines along with several life-saving medical supplies to India. 'Our hearts go out to the Indian people in the midst of the horrific COVID-19 outbreak,' Blinken said in a tweet on Saturday night.

'We are working closely with our partners in the Indian government, and we will rapidly deploy additional support to the people of India and India's health care heroes,' Blinken said. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that the United States is deeply concerned by the severe COVID outbreak in India. 'We are working around the clock to deploy more supplies and support to our friends and partners in India as they bravely battle this pandemic. More very soon,' Sullivan said.

With a record single-day rise of 3,49,691 new coronavirus infections, India's total tally of COVID-19 cases climbed to 1,69,60,172, while active cases crossed the 26-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday. The death toll increased to 1,92,311 with a record 2,767 daily new fatalities. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Friday that the US was working closely with Indian officials at both the political and experts' level to identify ways to help address the crisis.

State Department Deputy Spokesperson Jalina Porter also told reporters that the US continues to work closely with India to facilitate the movement of essential supplies and also address the bottlenecks of the supply chains. Several US lawmakers, eminent Indian-Americans and the powerful US Chambers of Commerce have voiced their concerns over the situation in India and have asked the Biden administration to extend assistance, release vaccines and other raw materials critical for India.

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