Indian External Minister visit & need for US vaccine cooperation

Will Baldwin

CHICAGO: Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi emphasized the need for on ongoing US India cooperation in the field of Corona vaccine in the contrast of a diplomatic visit by the Indian External Minister Jaishankar to the United States and the need for expanded US vaccine aid and coordination with India

 “External Minister Jaishankar’s visit to the United States serves as another reminder of the immediate need to rally our democracies together against the ongoing pandemic and for the United States to fulfill its promise of vaccine aid to India while further building on this support. That’s why I’ve repeatedly urged the Biden Administration to continue and expand its international vaccine distribution efforts in support of India and other nations facing the most serious outbreaks, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi said in a statement

Continuing his observation, he added “It’s also why I’ll soon be introducing the Nullifying Opportunities for Variants to Infect and Decimate  (NOVID) Act which would bring global vaccination rates to more than 60% through dramatically scaling up these international efforts with increased aid, expanded private sector production, and enhanced international cooperation. These efforts would help to save lives in the near term while also building the international foundation we need to truly end this pandemic.”

 “Achieving global herd immunity isn’t just the right thing to do out of compassion and morality, it’s also the smart thing to do because the only way to end this global pandemic is through a global approach that ends the outbreaks before they enable the mutations of the virus which could destroy all the progress we’ve made.”

 “The success of these efforts depends on international cooperation and the continued success of the US-India partnership in this endeavor, as with so many others, is paramount to the shared interests of our nations and humanity more broadly.

Because of this, it must be beyond politics, and beyond any partisan or ideological affiliation. I approach questions of policy as an American and as an elected member of the Democratic Party.  I do not support, endorse, or affiliate myself with the views of any political party, individual, or group in India, such as the BJP, Congress, PM Modi, Sonia Gandhi, the RSS or any other Indian organization or individual, any more than I have any affiliation with the American Republican Party”.

“ It is absolutely in the interests of all people to make sure everyone gets vaccinated across the United States, across India, and across the rest of the world to bring this pandemic to an end.”