Australian residents and citizens, who have been in India within 14 days of the date they plan to return home, will be banned from entering Australia as of Monday and those who disobey will face fines and jail, government officials said. &nbsp;

The emergency determination, made late on Friday, is part of strict measures to stop travellers to Australia from the world's second most populous nation as it contends with a surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths.&nbsp;

The restrictions come into effect from May 3 and breaching the ban risks civil penalties and up to five years imprisonment, Health Minister Greg Hunt said in a statement.&nbsp;

"Our hearts go out to the people of India – and our Indian-Australian community. The friends and family of those in Australia are in extreme risk. Tragically, many are contracting COVID-19 and many, sadly, are dying every day," Hunt said.&nbsp;

The Australian government will reconsider the restrictions on May 15, he said.&nbsp;

India's coronavirus death toll passed 200,000 this week, and cases are nearing 19 million - nearly 8 million since February as virulent new strains have combined with 'super-spreader' events.&nbsp;

Australia, which has no community transmissions, on Tuesday introduced a temporary suspension of direct flights from India to prevent more virulent COVID-19 variants entering the country.&nbsp;

However, some Australians, including cricketers Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson, returned via Doha.&nbsp;

"The Government does not make these decisions lightly. However, it is critical the integrity of the Australian public health and quarantine systems is protected and the number of COVID-19 cases in quarantine facilities is reduced to a manageable level," Hunt said.&nbsp;

Australia has all but stamped out the coronavirus from its shores after closing its borders to non-citizens and permanent residents in March 2020 to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.&nbsp;

Travellers now have to undergo a mandatory two-week hotel quarantine at their own expense, a system that has largely helped Australia to keep its COVID-19 numbers relatively low, with just over 29,800 cases and 910 deaths.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Australian residents and citizens, who have been in India within 14 days of the date they plan to return home, will be banned from entering Australia as of Monday and those who disobey will face fines and jail, government officials said.

Australian residents and citizens, who have been in India within 14 days of the date they plan to return home, will be banned from entering Australia as of Monday and those who disobey will face fines and jail, government officials said. The emergency determination, made late on Friday, is part of strict measures to stop travellers to Australia from the world's second most populous nation as it contends with a surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths. The restrictions come into effect from May 3 and breaching the ban risks civil penalties and up to five years imprisonment, Health Minister Greg Hunt said in a statement. "Our hearts go out to the people of India – and our Indian-Australian community. The friends and family of those in Australia are in extreme risk. Tragically, many are contracting COVID-19 and many, sadly, are dying every day," Hunt said. The Australian government will reconsider the restrictions on May 15, he said. India's coronavirus death toll passed 200,000 this week, and cases are nearing 19 million - nearly 8 million since February as virulent new strains have combined with 'super-spreader' events. Australia, which has no community transmissions, on Tuesday introduced a temporary suspension of direct flights from India to prevent more virulent COVID-19 variants entering the country. However, some Australians, including cricketers Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson, returned via Doha. "The Government does not make these decisions lightly. However, it is critical the integrity of the Australian public health and quarantine systems is protected and the number of COVID-19 cases in quarantine facilities is reduced to a manageable level," Hunt said. Australia has all but stamped out the coronavirus from its shores after closing its borders to non-citizens and permanent residents in March 2020 to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. Travellers now have to undergo a mandatory two-week hotel quarantine at their own expense, a system that has largely helped Australia to keep its COVID-19 numbers relatively low, with just over 29,800 cases and 910 deaths. (With inputs from agencies)

Australia bans arrivals from India, says offenders face jail, fines 

Due to the surge in Coronavirus cases, several countries have restricted travel to and from India.

Coronavirus Update: US to restrict travel from India May 4

The United States on Friday placed India and eight other countries on the Priority Watch List for IP protection and enforcement.

The other countries that have been put on the list are Argentina, Chile, China, Indonesia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine and Venezuela.

In its "Special 301 Report" on the adequacy and effectiveness of US trading partners' protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said these countries will be the subject of intense bilateral engagement during the coming year.

"Over the past year, India has remained inconsistent in its progress on intellectual property (IP) protection and enforcement. While India's enforcement of IP in the online sphere has gradually improved, a lack of concrete benefits for innovators and creators persists, which continues to undermine their efforts. India remains one of the world's most challenging major economies with respect to protection and enforcement of IP," she said.

The office of the USTR reviewed more than 100 trading partners for this year's "Special 301 Report", and eight on Priority Watch List and 23 on the Watch List.

The 23 trading partners on the Watch List are Algeria, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Guatemala, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mexico, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Romania, Thailand, Trinidad &amp; Tobago, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.

"Intellectual property rights incentivize our creators, manufacturers, and innovators to invent new products and technologies,"&nbsp;said Katherine Tai.

"The laws, policies and practices that protect those rights must appropriately balance the interests of creators with those seeking to use their creations. Failing to adequately and effectively protect those rights in foreign markets hurts the US economy, the dynamism of American innovators and the livelihoods of our workers,"&nbsp;she said.

Observing that the 2021 Special 301 review period has taken place during the COVID-19 pandemic, the largest global health crisis in more than a century, the USTR office said its top priority is saving lives and ending the pandemic in the United States and around the world.

As affirmed in the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, the United States, while recognising the role of intellectual property protection in the development of new medicines, respects a trading partner's right to protect public health and, in particular, to promote access to medicines for all, it said.

The United States has been closely monitoring China's progress in implementing its commitments under the United States-China Economic and Trade Agreement.

In 2020, China published several draft IP-related legal and regulatory measures and finalised over a dozen measures.

China amended the patent Law, copyright and criminal laws in the past year. However, these steps toward reform require effective implementation and fall short of the full range of fundamental changes needed to improve the IP landscape in China, the USTR office said.

In India, the USTR said patent issues continue to be of particular concern as long-standing issues remain for innovative industries.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-reportedly-considering-intellectual-property-waiver-for-coronavirus-vaccines-380959">US reportedly considering intellectual property waiver for coronavirus vaccines</a>

The potential threat of patent revocations, lack of presumption of patent validity and the narrow patentability criteria under the India Patents Act burden companies across different sectors.

"Moreover, patent applicants continue to confront costly and time-consuming pre and post-grant oppositions, long waiting periods to receive patent approval and excessive reporting requirements. Stakeholders continue to express concerns over vagueness in the interpretation of the India Patents Act,"&nbsp;she added.

She said the US intends to continue to engage with India on IP matters, including through the United States-India Trade Policy Forum's Intellectual Property Working Group.&nbsp;

The United States on Friday placed India and eight other countries on the Priority Watch List for IP protection and enforcement. The other countries that have been put on the list are Argentina, Chile, China, Indonesia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine and Venezuela.

The United States on Friday placed India and eight other countries on the Priority Watch List for IP protection and enforcement. The other countries that have been put on the list are Argentina, Chile, China, Indonesia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine and Venezuela. In its "Special 301 Report" on the adequacy and effectiveness of US trading partners' protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said these countries will be the subject of intense bilateral engagement during the coming year. "Over the past year, India has remained inconsistent in its progress on intellectual property (IP) protection and enforcement. While India's enforcement of IP in the online sphere has gradually improved, a lack of concrete benefits for innovators and creators persists, which continues to undermine their efforts. India remains one of the world's most challenging major economies with respect to protection and enforcement of IP," she said. The office of the USTR reviewed more than 100 trading partners for this year's "Special 301 Report", and eight on Priority Watch List and 23 on the Watch List. The 23 trading partners on the Watch List are Algeria, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Guatemala, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mexico, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Romania, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. "Intellectual property rights incentivize our creators, manufacturers, and innovators to invent new products and technologies," said Katherine Tai. "The laws, policies and practices that protect those rights must appropriately balance the interests of creators with those seeking to use their creations. Failing to adequately and effectively protect those rights in foreign markets hurts the US economy, the dynamism of American innovators and the livelihoods of our workers," she said. Observing that the 2021 Special 301 review period has taken place during the COVID-19 pandemic, the largest global health crisis in more than a century, the USTR office said its top priority is saving lives and ending the pandemic in the United States and around the world. As affirmed in the Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, the United States, while recognising the role of intellectual property protection in the development of new medicines, respects a trading partner's right to protect public health and, in particular, to promote access to medicines for all, it said. The United States has been closely monitoring China's progress in implementing its commitments under the United States-China Economic and Trade Agreement. In 2020, China published several draft IP-related legal and regulatory measures and finalised over a dozen measures. China amended the patent Law, copyright and criminal laws in the past year. However, these steps toward reform require effective implementation and fall short of the full range of fundamental changes needed to improve the IP landscape in China, the USTR office said. In India, the USTR said patent issues continue to be of particular concern as long-standing issues remain for innovative industries. Also read | US reportedly considering intellectual property waiver for coronavirus vaccines The potential threat of patent revocations, lack of presumption of patent validity and the narrow patentability criteria under the India Patents Act burden companies across different sectors. "Moreover, patent applicants continue to confront costly and time-consuming pre and post-grant oppositions, long waiting periods to receive patent approval and excessive reporting requirements. Stakeholders continue to express concerns over vagueness in the interpretation of the India Patents Act," she added. She said the US intends to continue to engage with India on IP matters, including through the United States-India Trade Policy Forum's Intellectual Property Working Group.

IP protection: US puts India on Priority Watch List

Could experts have predicted India's devastating second wave? Maybe not. But, India could have been better prepared to handle the surge. WION's Palki tells you about 4 red flags that all governments missed.

Gravitas: How did the pandemic in India get out of control?

Only two out of 3,000+ pharma companies in India are producing Covid vaccines. With compulsory licensing, India can legally override vaccine patents and authorise more companies to produce jabs.

Gravitas: Can India override vaccine patents?

As India launches its 3rd phase of vaccination, 20 states & UTs have delayed the process citing shortage of vaccines. Where does this leave the youth of India which is gearing up to get a shot?

Gravitas: 20 States & UTs won't begin 3rd vaccination drive

At the Patel COVID hospital in Gujarat's Bharuch, at least 18 COVID patients were killed in a fire. The fire broke out in the ICU wing of the hospital due to a short circuit.

India: Fire kills 18 in a COVID Hospital in Gujarat

At least 12 Covid-19 patients died on Saturday in the latest in a series of hospital fires in India, local media reported, as the country's healthcare system buckles under a surge in cases.

There were around 50 other patients at the four-storey hospital in Bharuch in the western state of Gujarat when the blaze began at 1&nbsp;am (0730 GMT). It has since been put out.

Also read: <a href="Several signs were ignored as India battered by fresh wave of coronavirus">Several signs were ignored as India battered by fresh wave of coronavirus</a>

"As per information at 6.30 am, the death toll in the tragedy stood at 18. Immediately after the fire, we had confirmation of 12 deaths," the Press Trust of India quoted a local police official as saying.

On April 23 a fire on the outskirts of Mumbai killed 13 Covid patients, a few days after another blaze left 22 people dead at another clinic, also in Maharashtra state.

Last month 22 other coronavirus patients died at a hospital in the same state when the oxygen supply to their ventilators was disrupted by a leak.

India's healthcare system has long suffered from underfunding, and the new virus outbreak has seen critical shortages in oxygen, drugs and hospital beds, with patients dying outside hospitals in some areas.

At least 12 Covid-19 patients died on Saturday in the latest in a series of hospital fires in India, local media reported, as the country's healthcare system buckles under a surge in cases.

At least 12 Covid-19 patients died on Saturday in the latest in a series of hospital fires in India, local media reported, as the country's healthcare system buckles under a surge in cases. There were around 50 other patients at the four-storey hospital in Bharuch in the western state of Gujarat when the blaze began at 1 am (0730 GMT). It has since been put out. Also read: Several signs were ignored as India battered by fresh wave of coronavirus "As per information at 6.30 am, the death toll in the tragedy stood at 18. Immediately after the fire, we had confirmation of 12 deaths," the Press Trust of India quoted a local police official as saying. On April 23 a fire on the outskirts of Mumbai killed 13 Covid patients, a few days after another blaze left 22 people dead at another clinic, also in Maharashtra state. Last month 22 other coronavirus patients died at a hospital in the same state when the oxygen supply to their ventilators was disrupted by a leak. India's healthcare system has long suffered from underfunding, and the new virus outbreak has seen critical shortages in oxygen, drugs and hospital beds, with patients dying outside hospitals in some areas.

Indian hospital's fire kills 12 Covid patients: Reports

At least 11 Indian high courts have pulled up various state governments and the centre over ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The Supreme Court of India has made it absolutely clear that the judiciary won't be a silent spectator in the current situation.

11 Indian high courts pull up state govts over COVID-19 crisis

As India battle its devastating surge in the pandemic, the first shipment of COVID-19 aid from US has arrived in India. A Super Galaxy military transporter carrying more than 400 oxygen cylinders and other hospital equipment and nearly 1 million rapid coronavirus tests landed at New Delhi's international airport today (April 30).

First shipment of COVID-19 aid from US arrives in India

The Indo-US ties in the first 100 days of the administration of US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden </a>has intensified, the state department said.&nbsp;

"There's been a concerted focus on India over the past 100 days. President Biden, of course, did make mention of India in his (State of the Union) address last night, and I think you can look at that deep partnership and commitment to partnership through any number of lenses," State Department spokesperson Ned Price was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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The engagement between both the nations during these 1000 days reflects a global comprehensive partnership, he added.&nbsp;

He also underscored various engagements of officials from both the countries, including Biden's talks with Indian PM <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/narendra-modi">Narendra Modi </a>and engagement between Secretary of State Tony Blinken and his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/us-stands-with-india-first-of-100-million-covid-aid-from-us-arrives-in-india-381605">US stands with India: First of $100 million Covid aid from US arrives in India&nbsp;</a>

Special Envoy on Climate Change John Kerry and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's also visited India, Price said, referring to the importance the US places on ties with India.&nbsp;

"I have mentioned our climate cooperation, but also our health cooperation, and this was something that predates the pandemic but has intensified with the onset of the pandemic and even further with the uptick in cases that we have seen in India in recent days," he said.

"So, I think it is this engagement that reflects our global comprehensive partnership."&nbsp;

The Indo-US ties in the first 100 days of the administration of US President Joe Biden has intensified, the state department said. "There's been a concerted focus on India over the past 100 days.

The Indo-US ties in the first 100 days of the administration of US President Joe Biden has intensified, the state department said. "There's been a concerted focus on India over the past 100 days. President Biden, of course, did make mention of India in his (State of the Union) address last night, and I think you can look at that deep partnership and commitment to partnership through any number of lenses," State Department spokesperson Ned Price was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. Watch | The engagement between both the nations during these 1000 days reflects a global comprehensive partnership, he added. He also underscored various engagements of officials from both the countries, including Biden's talks with Indian PM Narendra Modi and engagement between Secretary of State Tony Blinken and his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar. Also read | US stands with India: First of $100 million Covid aid from US arrives in India Special Envoy on Climate Change John Kerry and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's also visited India, Price said, referring to the importance the US places on ties with India. "I have mentioned our climate cooperation, but also our health cooperation, and this was something that predates the pandemic but has intensified with the onset of the pandemic and even further with the uptick in cases that we have seen in India in recent days," he said. "So, I think it is this engagement that reflects our global comprehensive partnership."

Indo-US ties intensified in Biden administration's first 100 days: State Department

40 countries are stepping in to end India's oxygen crisis. Supplies are pouring in from around the world. But, wealthy Indians have given up. They are hiring expensive private jets and fleeing the country.

Gravitas: Rich Indians are spending thousands of dollars to escape India

The raging state of the&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;pandemic is India is a&nbsp;wake-up&nbsp;call&nbsp;for&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;that its governments and citizens must not let their guards down, the&nbsp;African Union's disease control agency warned on Thursday.

African nations generally do not have sufficient numbers of health care workers, hospital beds, oxygen supplies, and the continent of 1.3 billion would be even more overwhelmed than India if cases surged in a similar way, said John Nkengasong, head of the&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="India records biggest-ever surge of 386,452 COVID-19 cases, 3498 deaths in a day">India records biggest-ever surge of 386,452 COVID-19 cases, 3498 deaths in a day</a>

"We are watching with total disbelief...What is happening in India cannot be ignored by our continent," he told reporters.

Nkengasong urged&nbsp;Africans to wear masks and avoid large gatherings, warning: "We cannot and should not find ourselves in (India's) scenario because of the very fragile nature of our health systems."

The AU will convene a meeting with all&nbsp;African ministers of health on May 8, Nkengasong said, to "put everybody on alert".

India, with 1.35 billion people, has a similar population size to the&nbsp;African continent, yet&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;has even weaker health systems, and unlike India does not manufacture significant quantities of drugs or vaccines, he added.

Heeding public health guidance is critical in&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;at the moment because the continent's rollout of&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;vaccines is hindered by the crisis in India, Nkengasong said.

The bulk of the vaccines supplied so far to&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;via the global vaccine-sharing facility COVAX have been AstraZeneca shots manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. India suspended its exports of the shot in March to cope with rising domestic demand.

It remains unclear when exports will resume, Nkengasong said on Thursday, warning the situation in India could impact the predictability of&nbsp;Africa's vaccine rollout "for the weeks and perhaps months to come".

Africa&nbsp;could benefit from additional supplies if two Chinese-made vaccines secure approval from the World Health Organisation next week, a WHO&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;official said.

"If we have more vaccines that have been approved for WHO pre-qualification, we know that more of these candidates can enter into our continent without any further issues," Phionah Atuhebwe told an online weekly briefing.

Africa&nbsp;recorded nearly 76,000 new&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;infections from April&nbsp;19-25, a 8% decline from the previous week, according to&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;CDC data.

India reported more than 379,000 new&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;cases and 3,645 new deaths on Thursday alone. It was the highest number of deaths reported in a single day in the world's second most populous country since the start of the pandemic.

The raging state of the COVID-19 pandemic is India is a wake-up call for Africa that its governments and citizens must not let their guards down, the African Union's disease control agency warned on Thursday.

The raging state of the COVID-19 pandemic is India is a wake-up call for Africa that its governments and citizens must not let their guards down, the African Union's disease control agency warned on Thursday. African nations generally do not have sufficient numbers of health care workers, hospital beds, oxygen supplies, and the continent of 1.3 billion would be even more overwhelmed than India if cases surged in a similar way, said John Nkengasong, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Also read: India records biggest-ever surge of 386,452 COVID-19 cases, 3498 deaths in a day "We are watching with total disbelief...What is happening in India cannot be ignored by our continent," he told reporters. Nkengasong urged Africans to wear masks and avoid large gatherings, warning: "We cannot and should not find ourselves in (India's) scenario because of the very fragile nature of our health systems." The AU will convene a meeting with all African ministers of health on May 8, Nkengasong said, to "put everybody on alert". India, with 1.35 billion people, has a similar population size to the African continent, yet Africa has even weaker health systems, and unlike India does not manufacture significant quantities of drugs or vaccines, he added. Heeding public health guidance is critical in Africa at the moment because the continent's rollout of COVID-19 vaccines is hindered by the crisis in India, Nkengasong said. The bulk of the vaccines supplied so far to Africa via the global vaccine-sharing facility COVAX have been AstraZeneca shots manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. India suspended its exports of the shot in March to cope with rising domestic demand. It remains unclear when exports will resume, Nkengasong said on Thursday, warning the situation in India could impact the predictability of Africa's vaccine rollout "for the weeks and perhaps months to come". Africa could benefit from additional supplies if two Chinese-made vaccines secure approval from the World Health Organisation next week, a WHO Africa official said. "If we have more vaccines that have been approved for WHO pre-qualification, we know that more of these candidates can enter into our continent without any further issues," Phionah Atuhebwe told an online weekly briefing. Africa recorded nearly 76,000 new COVID-19 infections from April 19-25, a 8% decline from the previous week, according to Africa CDC data. India reported more than 379,000 new COVID-19 cases and 3,645 new deaths on Thursday alone. It was the highest number of deaths reported in a single day in the world's second most populous country since the start of the pandemic.

India's COVID-19 emergency is a wake-up call to Africa: African Union health chief

Chinese President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/xi-jinping">Xi Jinping </a>on Friday sent condolences to Indian Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/narendra-modi">Narendra Modi </a>over the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus </a>situation in India.&nbsp;

In a letter that was sent on Friday, the Chinese president said that he is "very concerned" about the recent situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in India and on behalf of the "Chinese Government and people, as well as in my own name," he expressed "sincere sympathies to the Indian Government and people."

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-phase-3-vaccination-drive-hampered-in-many-states-due-to-vaccine-shortage-381645/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

This is the first official communication between the two leaders since the last year's stand-off in eastern Ladakh and the Galwan Valley clashes.&nbsp;

Highlighting how "humanity is a community with a shared future", Xi said, "only through solidarity and cooperation can countries around the world ultimately defeat the pandemic."

"Chinese side stands ready to strengthen cooperation with the Indian side in fighting the pandemic and provide support and help in this regard", he said, adding, "I believe that under the leadership of the Indian Government, the Indian people will surely prevail over the pandemic."

<img alt="Chinese President letter to PM Modi" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c2a872e6-c1b1-4dcf-a932-5180776fed48" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/015cef68-d194-4ceb-901a-d4b94002407d.jpg" />

Earlier, Sun Weidong, Chinese ambassador to India, said on Thursday that Beijing has provided India will over 5,000 ventilators and 21,569 oxygen generators, among other supplies.&nbsp;

"Since this April, #China has supplied more than 5000 ventilators, 21569 oxygen generators, over 21.48 million masks &amp; around 3800 tons of medicines to #India, according to statistics of the General Administration of Customs of China," the envoy wrote on a tweet.&nbsp;

A few days ago, media reports said that the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) accused Beijing of stopping shipments of oxygen concentrators being procured from China to be delivered to India. &nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/japan-to-provide-oxygen-concentrators-ventilators-to-friend-and-partner-india-to-combat-covid-381682">Japan to provide oxygen concentrators, ventilators to 'friend and partner' India to combat Covid</a>

Chinese foreign ministry denied these reports, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday saying that the country would do the utmost to help India fight the pandemic.&nbsp;

He also said that the anti-pandemic supplies from China are entering India at a faster pace.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Sidhant Sibal)

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday sent condolences to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the coronavirus situation in India. In a letter that was sent on Friday, the Chinese president said that he is "very concerned" about the recent situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in India and on behalf of the "Chinese Government and people, as well as in my own name," he expressed "sincere sympathies to the Indian Government and people.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday sent condolences to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the coronavirus situation in India. In a letter that was sent on Friday, the Chinese president said that he is "very concerned" about the recent situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in India and on behalf of the "Chinese Government and people, as well as in my own name," he expressed "sincere sympathies to the Indian Government and people." Watch | This is the first official communication between the two leaders since the last year's stand-off in eastern Ladakh and the Galwan Valley clashes. Highlighting how "humanity is a community with a shared future", Xi said, "only through solidarity and cooperation can countries around the world ultimately defeat the pandemic." "Chinese side stands ready to strengthen cooperation with the Indian side in fighting the pandemic and provide support and help in this regard", he said, adding, "I believe that under the leadership of the Indian Government, the Indian people will surely prevail over the pandemic." Earlier, Sun Weidong, Chinese ambassador to India, said on Thursday that Beijing has provided India will over 5,000 ventilators and 21,569 oxygen generators, among other supplies. "Since this April, #China has supplied more than 5000 ventilators, 21569 oxygen generators, over 21.48 million masks & around 3800 tons of medicines to #India, according to statistics of the General Administration of Customs of China," the envoy wrote on a tweet. A few days ago, media reports said that the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) accused Beijing of stopping shipments of oxygen concentrators being procured from China to be delivered to India. Also read | Japan to provide oxygen concentrators, ventilators to 'friend and partner' India to combat Covid Chinese foreign ministry denied these reports, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday saying that the country would do the utmost to help India fight the pandemic. He also said that the anti-pandemic supplies from China are entering India at a faster pace. (With inputs from Sidhant Sibal)

Chinese President Xi offers condolences to Indian PM Modi over Covid situation

The Maldives is still welcoming Bollywood stars and other rich Indians to its secluded beaches and crystal-clear lagoons even as countries ban flights because of a brutal Covid surge.

The Indian Ocean archipelago of more than a thousand islands reopened its international borders in mid-July after being shut for three months, and Indians have accounted for the most visitors.

This week, as a string of other countries banned visitors from India, the Maldives government made only slight changes to its rules for passengers from its giant neighbour.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;COVID-19: These countries are latest to impose restrictions on Indian travellers

Holidaymakers arriving from India now can only stay at a resort or a safari boat and are not allowed to check into guest houses in inhabited islands where locals also live.

"The geographical location of our islets help us to minimise the (virus) risk," Thoyyib Mohamed, the head of the country's tourism authority, Visit Maldives, told AFP.

"Each islet is a self-contained single resort. Even if we have a few cases popping up here and there, we can contain it within the resorts without exposing the local population."

Thoyyib said that they have also launched a campaign to vaccinate the entire workforce of 50,000 in the tourism sector and many others providing services relating to the hospitality trade.

"We want to be the first fully vaccinated tourism sector in the world," Thoyyib told AFP by telephone. He said about 90 percent of workers were already vaccinated.

Media reports have suggested that the Maldives might even offer Covid vaccines to foreign visitors.

But officials said they had no such immediate plans until all Maldivians and resident non-nationals had received both doses of the AstraZeneca or the Sinopharm vaccine.

More than two-thirds of its 330,000 population has already received their first dose, according to health ministry figures.&nbsp;

It has reported just over 29,000 virus infections with 73 deaths, although case numbers have been rising sharply in recent weeks.

Thoyyib said there was a decline in the number of Indians visiting in the past week but they remained the largest single group of visitors to the archipelago this year.

Bollywood stars escaping India in recent weeks include Alia Bhatt, her partner Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor, who posted Instagram photos of herself doing yoga at sunset at a Maldives resort.

Press reports suggest that private jet firms have seen a surge in demand to Europe, the Middle East and the Maldives, including from people clubbing together to hire an aircraft.

"It’s not only the ultra rich," Rajan Mehra, head New Delhi-based private plane firm Club One Air told The Print. "Whoever can afford to take a private jet are taking private jets."

India on Friday reported 385,000&nbsp;new cases in the past 24 hours -- a new global record -- and almost 3,500 deaths,&nbsp;according to official data that many experts suspect falls short of the true toll.&nbsp;

With the surge blamed on new virus variants and huge religious and political gatherings in recent months, India's hospitals are struggling to cope, particularly but not only in the capital New Delhi.

The Maldives attracted a record 1.7 million foreign tourists last year, a 15-percent increase from 2018, according to the government, with China the biggest source of visitors.

The numbers fell to 555,494 last year because of the pandemic, but was showing signs of a recovery. Some 381,000 tourists have visited so far this year. China has now dropped below the top 10.

The Maldives is still welcoming Bollywood stars and other rich Indians to its secluded beaches and crystal-clear lagoons even as countries ban flights because of a brutal Covid surge.

The Maldives is still welcoming Bollywood stars and other rich Indians to its secluded beaches and crystal-clear lagoons even as countries ban flights because of a brutal Covid surge. The Indian Ocean archipelago of more than a thousand islands reopened its international borders in mid-July after being shut for three months, and Indians have accounted for the most visitors. This week, as a string of other countries banned visitors from India, the Maldives government made only slight changes to its rules for passengers from its giant neighbour. Also read: COVID-19: These countries are latest to impose restrictions on Indian travellers Holidaymakers arriving from India now can only stay at a resort or a safari boat and are not allowed to check into guest houses in inhabited islands where locals also live. "The geographical location of our islets help us to minimise the (virus) risk," Thoyyib Mohamed, the head of the country's tourism authority, Visit Maldives, told AFP. "Each islet is a self-contained single resort. Even if we have a few cases popping up here and there, we can contain it within the resorts without exposing the local population." Thoyyib said that they have also launched a campaign to vaccinate the entire workforce of 50,000 in the tourism sector and many others providing services relating to the hospitality trade. "We want to be the first fully vaccinated tourism sector in the world," Thoyyib told AFP by telephone. He said about 90 percent of workers were already vaccinated. Media reports have suggested that the Maldives might even offer Covid vaccines to foreign visitors. But officials said they had no such immediate plans until all Maldivians and resident non-nationals had received both doses of the AstraZeneca or the Sinopharm vaccine. More than two-thirds of its 330,000 population has already received their first dose, according to health ministry figures. It has reported just over 29,000 virus infections with 73 deaths, although case numbers have been rising sharply in recent weeks. Thoyyib said there was a decline in the number of Indians visiting in the past week but they remained the largest single group of visitors to the archipelago this year. Bollywood stars escaping India in recent weeks include Alia Bhatt, her partner Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor, who posted Instagram photos of herself doing yoga at sunset at a Maldives resort. Press reports suggest that private jet firms have seen a surge in demand to Europe, the Middle East and the Maldives, including from people clubbing together to hire an aircraft. "It’s not only the ultra rich," Rajan Mehra, head New Delhi-based private plane firm Club One Air told The Print. "Whoever can afford to take a private jet are taking private jets." India on Friday reported 385,000 new cases in the past 24 hours -- a new global record -- and almost 3,500 deaths, according to official data that many experts suspect falls short of the true toll. With the surge blamed on new virus variants and huge religious and political gatherings in recent months, India's hospitals are struggling to cope, particularly but not only in the capital New Delhi. The Maldives attracted a record 1.7 million foreign tourists last year, a 15-percent increase from 2018, according to the government, with China the biggest source of visitors. The numbers fell to 555,494 last year because of the pandemic, but was showing signs of a recovery. Some 381,000 tourists have visited so far this year. China has now dropped below the top 10.

Vacation from the virus: Maldives still welcoming rich Indians

Several Indian states, including Delhi, have indicated that they may have to delay the third phase of the vaccination drive for all adults in the country as jabs against the Coronavirus may not be immediately available due to shortage of stocks and delay in deliveries.

India: Phase 3 vaccination drive hampered in many states due to vaccine shortage

The Government of India on Wednesday recorded nearly 1.32&nbsp;crore (13.2 million) registrations for coronavirus vaccination from May 1.

In the third phase of the vaccination drive, everyone above the age of 18 will be eligible to get inoculated against Covid-19.

The Union Health Ministry highlighted that vaccination is a critical component of the containment and management strategy of the Government of India in its fight against the( Covid pandemic.

"So we close Day 1 with 1.32 crore registrations on http://Cowin.gov.in. Kudos to Team CoWIN for building a truly scalable and robust platform. Handling more than 50000 API calls per second is mammoth!!," Aarogya Setu tweeted. 
&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
So we close Day 1 with 1.32 Cr Registrations on <a href="https://t.co/xWRsgcZ3lD">https://t.co/xWRsgcZ3lD</a>. Kudos to Team CoWin for building a truly scalable and robust platform. Handling more than 50000 API calls per second is mammoth!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LargestVaccinationDrive?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LargestVaccinationDrive</a> <a href="https://t.co/DafOrdMfBP">pic.twitter.com/DafOrdMfBP</a>
— Aarogya Setu (@SetuAarogya) <a href="https://twitter.com/SetuAarogya/status/1387475346707009537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
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However, many users struggled to get themselves registered and complained about the technical problems they faced while trying to register themselves on the CoWin portal.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Government of India on Wednesday recorded nearly 1.32 crore (13.2 million) registrations for coronavirus vaccination from May 1. In the third phase of the vaccination drive, everyone above the age of 18 will be eligible to get inoculated against Covid-19.

The Government of India on Wednesday recorded nearly 1.32 crore (13.2 million) registrations for coronavirus vaccination from May 1. In the third phase of the vaccination drive, everyone above the age of 18 will be eligible to get inoculated against Covid-19. The Union Health Ministry highlighted that vaccination is a critical component of the containment and management strategy of the Government of India in its fight against the( Covid pandemic. "So we close Day 1 with 1.32 crore registrations on http://Cowin.gov.in. Kudos to Team CoWIN for building a truly scalable and robust platform. Handling more than 50000 API calls per second is mammoth!!," Aarogya Setu tweeted. So we close Day 1 with 1.32 Cr Registrations on https://t.co/xWRsgcZ3lD. Kudos to Team CoWin for building a truly scalable and robust platform. Handling more than 50000 API calls per second is mammoth!! #LargestVaccinationDrive pic.twitter.com/DafOrdMfBP — Aarogya Setu (@SetuAarogya) April 28, 2021 × However, many users struggled to get themselves registered and complained about the technical problems they faced while trying to register themselves on the CoWin portal. (With inputs from agencies)

13.2 million Indians register for third phase of vaccinations but unable to book slots

Every country is territorial about its sphere, with Russia considering eastern Europe as its backyard and the US thinking the same of Central America.

In this report, we will look at India's sphere of influence and how far does it extend.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-indias-remote-island-base-in-the-indian-ocean-381233/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

We will also see what are India's plans to consolidate its presence?

Let's begin with the vast Indian Ocean to the south.

Indians have sailed these waters for hundreds of years, but of late, it has become a strategic playground because of China.

Beijing wants to box India in with the 'String of Pearls' initiative, which comprises strategic ports that China controls.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-aggression-continues-as-liaoning-sails-between-japanese-islands-381177">China's aggression continues as Liaoning sails between Japanese islands</a>

India has responded in kind, as it is developing a military base in the south-western Indian Ocean.

There is North Agalega, an island controlled by Mauritius, India's long-standing ally.

This is where India is building its base.

It might seem like the middle of nowhere, but look around and it will make perfect sense.

To the south is the Reunion island, controlled by the French, another close ally, and to the north is Djibouti, China's foothold in Africa where they have a military base.&nbsp;

So the Indian base serves two objectives.&nbsp;

The first is to coordinate with allies and in fact, this is already happening as India recently conducted joint patrols with French vessels from the Reunion.

The second objective is surveillance, as from Agalega, India can keep an eye on Southern African trade routes, where most of China's energy trade is concentrated.&nbsp;

But we are not quite at that stage because North Agalega is still a remote outpost.&nbsp;

It is 12 km long and 1.5 km wide, which means it is small even by island standards.

Fewer than 300 people live there and until a few years back it was like a ghost island.

However, today it is buzzing with construction activity.

In October 2014, the island was wilderness surrounded by sea, but in 2015, India sought access to it.

New Delhi wanted to develop it as a staging point for its air force and navy.

Six years later, there is a new 3,000-metre-long runway, capable of hosting India's new Boeing patrol aircraft.

To the island's north, a new seaport is being constructed.

There are barracks, parade fields and accommodation for Indian workers.

It's a full-fledged Indian military base, but both India and Mauritius have been tight-lipped about it.

But, chances are, Agalega will serve as a surveillance hub for India, a crucial foothold in the south-western Indian Ocean.

In fact, Australia too is shifting focus to its military bases and again because of China.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a major spending spree, close to 580 million dollars, to upgrade four military bases to the country's north.

All kinds of upgrades are being planned, including a larger airstrip in the northern territory, new firing ranges, training facilities and housing for US Marines during joint war games.

The messaging from Canberra has changed in the last few months.

First, they tried to strike a balance between criticising China and trading with it, a move that failed miserably.

Now, top Australian officials are asking liberal democracies to brace for war.

Morrison appears more invested in the campaign against China.

"Our objective here in this part of the world is a free and open Indo-Pacific. Our objective here is to ensure a peaceful region but one that, at the same time, Australia is in a position to always protect its interests, always advance our national interests, always support a global world order that favours freedom and that is something that we share very deeply with our American friends and allies," Morrison said.

So the walls are closing in around China, not just militarily, but countries are mounting an economic challenge too.

This is where supply chains come in.

China controls global supply chains and it is dangerous for the world.

Beijing can choke any country it wants to and the downside of Chinese control was seen last year.&nbsp;

There was no transparency and a lot of delays.

So three countries have come together to sidestep China: India, Australia and Japan, members of the Quad alliance.

They have launched a new supply chain project called the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI).&nbsp;

Under this, businesses from these three countries will join hands and meet at investment forums facilitated by their governments.

The idea is to create a stable and seamless supply chain, one that can survive disruptions.

They've issued a joint statement, saying that the current supply chains are vulnerable, in a clear reference to China.

But the joint statement did not mention Beijing. Nonetheless, China is livid.

It has called this initiative an artificial supply chain, a deviation from the free-market economy.

The irony is that an opaque Communist country is preaching the world on free-market theory.

Regardless of what China thinks, the initiative is going ahead.&nbsp;

As a first step, all three countries will share best practices on robust supply networks.

Their trade ministers will meet annually to review progress.

So three Quad nations are showing the way beyond China.

The US is missing from this initiative, but it does call for a possible expansion if there is consensus.

Talks will not dissuade the Chinese military, but overseas bases and war games will.

The same is true for China's supply chain system as you can talk all you want at the World Trade Organization (WTO), but Beijing always reverts to type.

So the solution is this: build your own supply chain, delete Beijing from the equation.

There should be military deterrence and economic isolation, something that should make China pay.

Every country is territorial about its sphere, with Russia considering eastern Europe as its backyard and the US thinking the same of Central America. In this report, we will look at India's sphere of influence and how far does it extend.

Every country is territorial about its sphere, with Russia considering eastern Europe as its backyard and the US thinking the same of Central America. In this report, we will look at India's sphere of influence and how far does it extend. Watch | We will also see what are India's plans to consolidate its presence? Let's begin with the vast Indian Ocean to the south. Indians have sailed these waters for hundreds of years, but of late, it has become a strategic playground because of China. Beijing wants to box India in with the 'String of Pearls' initiative, which comprises strategic ports that China controls. Also read | China's aggression continues as Liaoning sails between Japanese islands India has responded in kind, as it is developing a military base in the south-western Indian Ocean. There is North Agalega, an island controlled by Mauritius, India's long-standing ally. This is where India is building its base. It might seem like the middle of nowhere, but look around and it will make perfect sense. To the south is the Reunion island, controlled by the French, another close ally, and to the north is Djibouti, China's foothold in Africa where they have a military base. So the Indian base serves two objectives. The first is to coordinate with allies and in fact, this is already happening as India recently conducted joint patrols with French vessels from the Reunion. The second objective is surveillance, as from Agalega, India can keep an eye on Southern African trade routes, where most of China's energy trade is concentrated. But we are not quite at that stage because North Agalega is still a remote outpost. It is 12 km long and 1.5 km wide, which means it is small even by island standards. Fewer than 300 people live there and until a few years back it was like a ghost island. However, today it is buzzing with construction activity. In October 2014, the island was wilderness surrounded by sea, but in 2015, India sought access to it. New Delhi wanted to develop it as a staging point for its air force and navy. Six years later, there is a new 3,000-metre-long runway, capable of hosting India's new Boeing patrol aircraft. To the island's north, a new seaport is being constructed. There are barracks, parade fields and accommodation for Indian workers. It's a full-fledged Indian military base, but both India and Mauritius have been tight-lipped about it. But, chances are, Agalega will serve as a surveillance hub for India, a crucial foothold in the south-western Indian Ocean. In fact, Australia too is shifting focus to its military bases and again because of China. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a major spending spree, close to 580 million dollars, to upgrade four military bases to the country's north. All kinds of upgrades are being planned, including a larger airstrip in the northern territory, new firing ranges, training facilities and housing for US Marines during joint war games. The messaging from Canberra has changed in the last few months. First, they tried to strike a balance between criticising China and trading with it, a move that failed miserably. Now, top Australian officials are asking liberal democracies to brace for war. Morrison appears more invested in the campaign against China. "Our objective here in this part of the world is a free and open Indo-Pacific. Our objective here is to ensure a peaceful region but one that, at the same time, Australia is in a position to always protect its interests, always advance our national interests, always support a global world order that favours freedom and that is something that we share very deeply with our American friends and allies," Morrison said. So the walls are closing in around China, not just militarily, but countries are mounting an economic challenge too. This is where supply chains come in. China controls global supply chains and it is dangerous for the world. Beijing can choke any country it wants to and the downside of Chinese control was seen last year. There was no transparency and a lot of delays. So three countries have come together to sidestep China: India, Australia and Japan, members of the Quad alliance. They have launched a new supply chain project called the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI). Under this, businesses from these three countries will join hands and meet at investment forums facilitated by their governments. The idea is to create a stable and seamless supply chain, one that can survive disruptions. They've issued a joint statement, saying that the current supply chains are vulnerable, in a clear reference to China. But the joint statement did not mention Beijing. Nonetheless, China is livid. It has called this initiative an artificial supply chain, a deviation from the free-market economy. The irony is that an opaque Communist country is preaching the world on free-market theory. Regardless of what China thinks, the initiative is going ahead. As a first step, all three countries will share best practices on robust supply networks. Their trade ministers will meet annually to review progress. So three Quad nations are showing the way beyond China. The US is missing from this initiative, but it does call for a possible expansion if there is consensus. Talks will not dissuade the Chinese military, but overseas bases and war games will. The same is true for China's supply chain system as you can talk all you want at the World Trade Organization (WTO), but Beijing always reverts to type. So the solution is this: build your own supply chain, delete Beijing from the equation. There should be military deterrence and economic isolation, something that should make China pay.

What is India's sphere of influence to checkmate China?

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephonic conversation during which the two leaders decided to establish a new 2+2 dialogue at the ministerial level comprising foreign and defence ministers from both countries.

Indian PM Modi & Russian Prez Putin speak over phone, agree to setting up 2+2 dialogue

Does India have enough vaccines to innoculate almost 600 million adults? What about oxygen supplies? Will India run out of doctors to treat patients, if the surge continues?

Gravitas: Will India run out of doctors to treat the Wuhan virus?

Amid the unprecedented Covid crisis in India, the United States government will redirect from its own supplies 20 million doses of Astra Zeneca vaccines.&nbsp;

The timeline will be conveyed by Washington to New Delhi soon.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/covid-19-situation-in-india-remains-grim-death-toll-surge-pass-200000-mark-381317/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Washington will also be supplying from its own stock 36 millipore filters, each of which will enable the manufacture of 500,000 doses of Covishield vaccines in India. Millipore filters are key in vaccine manufacturing. Over the weekend, the US announced that it will be diverting raw material to India for manufacturing Covid vaccines in the country.&nbsp;

Earlier today, highlighting an "interdependent world, where we have given and taken" Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla said, "in anything you do, there is a supply chain, you produce pharmaceuticals, but someone provides you with some ingredients, you provide with finished products. The vaccine has to be seen in that context".

The development comes days after the US said that it will make available 60 million doses of AstraZeneca Covid vaccine to other countries within two months. The matter of vaccines also came up during talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden on Monday.

"I have also discussed with him (PM Modi) when we will be able to send actual vaccines to India which will be my intention to do", Biden recently said.

The &nbsp;United States has allowed three vaccines so far, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson &amp; Johnson. And while AstraZeneca is being used in many parts of the world, it has not been authorized for use in the US yet. But despite no authorization yet, the country still has stockpiled the vaccine doses as part of its strategy to be ready for a range of scenarios.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, three military aircraft from the US will bring Covid assistance to India, the first two of which will be coming on Friday. The third plane will be coming on May 3. The consignee of assistance will be Indian Red Cross, as has been the case in other international assistance.&nbsp;

India has received the list of items in the first flight that will be landing tomorrow at 7 am at Delhi airport. The crew won't be needing any visas on arrival since the aircraft will fly back immediately after offloading items.

All in All, the US will be supplying India with 1,100 Oxygen cylinders, 1700 Oxygen concentrators, 17 Oxygen generator units, 15 million N95 masks, 1 million rapid diagnostic tests, 20,000 doses of Remdesivir which will be sent early next week.&nbsp;

A White House fact sheet said, "Just as India sent assistance to the United States when our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, the United States is determined to help India in its time of need."

The total worth of US supplies will be more than $100 million, and other than this U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) experts will work hand-in-hand with India’s experts in areas like surveillance, infection prevention, and control, vaccine rollout.

 
&nbsp;

Amid the unprecedented Covid crisis in India, the United States government will redirect from its own supplies 20 million doses of Astra Zeneca vaccines. The timeline will be conveyed by Washington to New Delhi soon.

Amid the unprecedented Covid crisis in India, the United States government will redirect from its own supplies 20 million doses of Astra Zeneca vaccines. The timeline will be conveyed by Washington to New Delhi soon. Watch | Washington will also be supplying from its own stock 36 millipore filters, each of which will enable the manufacture of 500,000 doses of Covishield vaccines in India. Millipore filters are key in vaccine manufacturing. Over the weekend, the US announced that it will be diverting raw material to India for manufacturing Covid vaccines in the country. Earlier today, highlighting an "interdependent world, where we have given and taken" Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla said, "in anything you do, there is a supply chain, you produce pharmaceuticals, but someone provides you with some ingredients, you provide with finished products. The vaccine has to be seen in that context". The development comes days after the US said that it will make available 60 million doses of AstraZeneca Covid vaccine to other countries within two months. The matter of vaccines also came up during talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden on Monday. "I have also discussed with him (PM Modi) when we will be able to send actual vaccines to India which will be my intention to do", Biden recently said. The United States has allowed three vaccines so far, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. And while AstraZeneca is being used in many parts of the world, it has not been authorized for use in the US yet. But despite no authorization yet, the country still has stockpiled the vaccine doses as part of its strategy to be ready for a range of scenarios. Meanwhile, three military aircraft from the US will bring Covid assistance to India, the first two of which will be coming on Friday. The third plane will be coming on May 3. The consignee of assistance will be Indian Red Cross, as has been the case in other international assistance. India has received the list of items in the first flight that will be landing tomorrow at 7 am at Delhi airport. The crew won't be needing any visas on arrival since the aircraft will fly back immediately after offloading items. All in All, the US will be supplying India with 1,100 Oxygen cylinders, 1700 Oxygen concentrators, 17 Oxygen generator units, 15 million N95 masks, 1 million rapid diagnostic tests, 20,000 doses of Remdesivir which will be sent early next week. A White House fact sheet said, "Just as India sent assistance to the United States when our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, the United States is determined to help India in its time of need." The total worth of US supplies will be more than $100 million, and other than this U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) experts will work hand-in-hand with India’s experts in areas like surveillance, infection prevention, and control, vaccine rollout.

India Covid crisis: US to redirect 20 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines, send raw material to manufacture 500,000 doses

Indians from the millions-strong expat community in the UAE, stranded in their homeland during a catastrophic coronavirus surge, are swamping private jet operators with requests to whisk them back to safety.

Indian expats hire private jets to escape COVID-19 crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic in India continues to worsen as the country continues to report more than 300,000 cases everyday. The death toll surge has passed 200,000 and still there seems to be no end insight.

COVID-19 situation in India remains grim, death toll surge pass 200,000 mark

India's COVID-19 death toll surged past 200,000 on Wednesday as shortages of oxygen, medical supplies and hospital staff compounded a record number of new cases of the virus.

India's second wave of COVID-19 infections has seen at least 300,000 people a day test positive for the past week, overwhelming healthcare facilities and crematoriums and driving an increasingly urgent international response.

In the past 24 hours, 360,960 new cases were recorded, the largest single-day total in the world, taking&nbsp;India's total to nearly 18 million. A further 3,293 deaths, the deadliest day so far, took the death toll to 201,187.

In the capital, New Delhi, ambulances lined up for hours to take COVID-19 victims to makeshift crematorium facilities in parks and parking lots, where bodies burned on rows of funeral pyres.

Police said a fire early on Wednesday at a hospital on the outskirts of Mumbai killed four people and injured several more.

Accidents at hospitals have been of grave concern for the country which is running short of beds and oxygen supplies. Last week a fire broke out at a hospital treating COVID-19 patients and a leaking oxygen tank at another hospital led to the deaths of 22 people.

Supplies of life-saving oxygen and equipment have begun arriving in New Delhi, including ventilators and oxygen concentrators from Britain, with more dispatched from Ireland, Germany and Australia.

Several countries have suspended flights from&nbsp;India, taking steps to keep out more virulent variants of the virus.

US&nbsp;President Joe Biden said he had spoken at length with&nbsp;Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including as to when the United States would be able to ship vaccines to the country, and said it was his clear intention to do so.

"I think we'll be in a position to be able to share, share vaccines as well as know-how with other countries who are in real need. That's the hope and expectation," he told reporters at the White House on Tuesday.

The US&nbsp;State Department's coordinator for global COVID-19 response, Gayle Smith, warned&nbsp;India's challenge will require a sustained effort: "We all need to understand that we are still at the front end of this. This hasn't peaked yet."

India's COVID-19 death toll surged past 200,000 on Wednesday as shortages of oxygen, medical supplies and hospital staff compounded a record number of new cases of the virus.

India's COVID-19 death toll surged past 200,000 on Wednesday as shortages of oxygen, medical supplies and hospital staff compounded a record number of new cases of the virus. India's second wave of COVID-19 infections has seen at least 300,000 people a day test positive for the past week, overwhelming healthcare facilities and crematoriums and driving an increasingly urgent international response. In the past 24 hours, 360,960 new cases were recorded, the largest single-day total in the world, taking India's total to nearly 18 million. A further 3,293 deaths, the deadliest day so far, took the death toll to 201,187. In the capital, New Delhi, ambulances lined up for hours to take COVID-19 victims to makeshift crematorium facilities in parks and parking lots, where bodies burned on rows of funeral pyres. Police said a fire early on Wednesday at a hospital on the outskirts of Mumbai killed four people and injured several more. Accidents at hospitals have been of grave concern for the country which is running short of beds and oxygen supplies. Last week a fire broke out at a hospital treating COVID-19 patients and a leaking oxygen tank at another hospital led to the deaths of 22 people. Supplies of life-saving oxygen and equipment have begun arriving in New Delhi, including ventilators and oxygen concentrators from Britain, with more dispatched from Ireland, Germany and Australia. Several countries have suspended flights from India, taking steps to keep out more virulent variants of the virus. US President Joe Biden said he had spoken at length with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including as to when the United States would be able to ship vaccines to the country, and said it was his clear intention to do so. "I think we'll be in a position to be able to share, share vaccines as well as know-how with other countries who are in real need. That's the hope and expectation," he told reporters at the White House on Tuesday. The US State Department's coordinator for global COVID-19 response, Gayle Smith, warned India's challenge will require a sustained effort: "We all need to understand that we are still at the front end of this. This hasn't peaked yet."

India's total deaths from COVID-19 cross 200,000 mark with new record surge in cases

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