India, France set up ‘oxygen bridge’
France set to double Covid-related support to India
France and India have “set up an oxygen bridge across the Indian Ocean to bring several rotations of liquid oxygen donated by French multinational Air Liquide”, the French Embassy announced on Monday, adding that France is doubling the Covid-related support to India following a phone call between French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week on May 26.
France said it was carrying out the largest solidarity operation undertaken by it so far since the beginning of the pandemic which “reflects the longstanding, two-way solidarity between France and India, which lies at the heart of our strategic partnership”.
France also declared it would deliver at least twice as many oxygen generators plants as the eight already delivered earlier this month and that a special cargo flight with 10 such units would reach India mid-June and that another flight would follow after that. The French Embassy pointed out that each of these Frenchmade, high capacity plants produces 24,000 litres of oxygen per hour non-stop and can make a 250-bed Indian hospital oxygen self-reliant for a dozen years.
In a statement, the French Embassy in New Delhi said that on the directions of President Emmanuel Macron, France is bringing in additional support to India to continue fighting the second wave together. “France and India have set up an oxygen bridge across the Indian Ocean to bring several rotations of liquid oxygen donated by French multinational Air Liquide. The containers are filled in Qatar, shipped to India by the Indian Navy, and then brought back empty by the Indian Air Force for refilling. In the last three weeks, 180 tonnes of liquid oxygen has already reached Indian hospitals through this bridge. The rotations are now being extended until the end of June, which will enable the delivery of several hundred tons of oxygen in total. ” It added that several hundred Oxygen concentrators as well as high-grade ventilators would reach India in the coming days.
French Ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain, said, “as discussed between President Macron and Prime Minister Modi in their May 26 call, France is doubling its support to India against the pandemic. It shows the solidarity of the French people, who have not forgotten that India helped us when France faced its first wave. There cannot be global victory against the virus without India. Together, we can show the way of international cooperation against the pandemic and the need for a multilateral response.”