"Welfare Of India Is Critically Important": Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris Address: US vice-president Harris pledged more aid from the Biden administration for India during the COVID-19 pandemic. Harris said that the “welfare of India is critically important to the United States”.

The Kamala Harris address was made at the online event organised by the State Department about bolstering COVID-19 relief efforts in India.

Harris mentioned India’s assistance during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and said that “we are determined to help India in its hour of need.” Harris spoke about how refillable oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, doses of Remdesivir, and N95 mask were delivered. She indicated that the US would continue to provide aid until the COVID-19 situation was under control.

Harris added that President Joe Biden spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 26, and by April 30 relief was being delivered by citizens and military members. “I believe that if we continue to work together... we all will get through this,” said Harris.

The Biden administration announced that as COVID-19 relief aid, a million dollars assistance will be provided for India. Harris also spoke about how the US announced it would suspend patents on COVID-19 vaccines to help India and other nations. “We have announced our full support for suspending patents on COVID-19 vaccines."

The suspension on patents was supported by lawmakers such as Pramila Jayapal, a Congresswoman originally from Chennai. Jayapal had said that the US had a “moral responsibility” to aid India fight COVID-19. She also noted that wealthy countries administered more than 80 per cent of the global vaccinations while low-income countries only received 0.3 per cent. Jayapal called the suspension of COVID-19 vaccine patents the "vital first step" to readdress the injustice regarding the vaccine.

Biden administration’s move of suspending the patents on vaccines was opposed by several lawmakers, such as right-wing lawmakers and members of the Democratic Party.