Neighbourhood first: India's policy on Hydroxychloroquine as Trump demands drug for US

Even as India is getting global requests for Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), called as a gamechanger drug to deal with COVID, New Delhi has made it clear that its focus first will be for the countries in the neighbourhood and then countries "badly affected".

"In view of the humanitarian aspects of the pandemic" India will give licenced to paracetamol and HCQ in "appropriate quantities to all our neighbouring countries who are dependent on our capabilities," said the ministry of external affairs in a statement.

The statement said, India "will also be supplying these essential drugs to some nations who have been particularly badly affected by the pandemic."

Without mentioning US, the statement said India's current stock position on HCQ "could allow" India companies to meet "the export commitments that they had contracted."

US President Donald Trump had said that Washington had ordered HCQ from India and this mater was raised by President Trump during his talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the weekend.

Highlighting its global approach of cooperation in the COVID pandemic, MEA said, "India has always maintained that the international community must display strong solidarity and cooperation. This approach also guided our evacuation of nationals of other countries."

India had evacuated more 48 nationals of 10 countries from Wuhan, once the epicentre of COVID crisis and Japan. These included a number of citizens from South Asia - 23 Bangladeshi, 9 Maldivians, 2 Sri Lankans and One Nepali.

Thirty countries from Latin America to Europe to Gulf have approached India for HCQ, many of them personally calling Indian PM Modi.

Acting Assistant Secretary Alice Wells, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs at the State Department earlier today said, "India is obviously one of the world’s leaders in the supply of generic drugs. It represents a significant portion of the precursor pharmaceuticals that supply the US market."

Brazilain President Jair M. Bolsonaro also tweeted about it and said he has raised the matter with PM Modi.