Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Tuesday that India must help all countries in their fight against coronavirus but lifesaving medicines should be made available to Indians first.
"Friendship isn’t about retaliation. India must help all nations in their hour of need but lifesaving medicines should be made available to Indians in ample quantities first," Mr. Gandhi wrote on Twitter.
Gandhi's reaction came after the Ministry of External Affairs decided to lift a partial ban on hydroxychloroquine.
The MEA in a statement said India will supply paracetamol and Hydroxychloroquine in appropriate quantities to all neighbouring countries that are dependent on India's capabilities and to some nations that have been badly affected by the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump had earlier talked of "retaliation" if India turned down the United States’ request to lift the hold on hydroxychloroquine, which he touted as a "game-changer" in the fight against the Coronavirus.
President Trump made the request in a phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday.
“I said we’d appreciate you allowing our supply to come out, If he doesn’t allow it to come out. That would be okay but, of course, there may be retaliation. Why wouldn't that be?” the president said at the daily White House briefing on the coronavirus outbreak.
