India Uses INS Airavat Warship To Send Oxygen Aid To Indonesia

JAKARTA - The Indian authorities sent oxygen concentrators and liquid medical oxygen to Indonesia, in line with the surge in cases of COVID-19 infection due to the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant.

Citing Indiatimes Tuesday, July 20, this assistance was provided when Indonesia was struggling with the Delta variant with a total currently recorded 2.8 million cases of infection and 73,582 deaths.

India, as one of Indonesia's friendly countries, sent aid as much as 300 oxygen concentrators and 100 metric tons of liquid medical oxygen, to help treat COVID-19 patients.

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in a post on Twitter said the warship (INS) Airavat (L24) was en route to Tanjung Priok in Indonesia with medical assistance.

"India stands with its partners in the fight against #COVID19," he wrote. However, delays were later reported in the ship's arrival.

"There is a delay in the arrival of INS Airawat reaching Tanjung Priok, Indonesia, carrying 300 oxygen concentrators & 100 MT of Liquid Medical Oxygen from India. Will continue to update you for further developments," wrote Jaishankar.

Previously, Indonesia had provided oxygen support to India while it was reeling under the second wave of COVID-19 crisis that hit India massively. At that time, Indonesia sent as many as 3,400 oxygen cylinders and concentrators to India last May.

In addition to oxygen, India also plans to help Indonesia regarding therapeutic drugs from India. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi in a meeting with Minister Jaishankar expressed hope that the export permits for several therapeutic drugs from India to Indonesia, which Indonesia currently needs, can be granted a budget.

It is known, the COVID-19 pandemic has made India impose temporary restrictions on the export of vaccines and medicines abroad, considering that India is also struggling to deal with the pandemic.

"Indonesia's request is considered positively by India and Indonesia has conveyed the details of the medicines needed at this time," Foreign Minister Retno explained on the sidelines of the G-20 Foreign Ministers' meeting in Bari, Italy last month.

INS Airawat has just reached Tanjung Priok, Indonesia, carrying 300 oxygen concentrators and 100 MT of Liquid Medical Oxygen from India. India stands with its partners in the fight against #COVID19, tweets EAM Dr S Jaishankar pic.twitter.com/a9jcvk9tQV

— ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2021