Earlier this week, former US President Donald Trump revealed that Indian Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword> is scheduled to meet with him next week. This potential gathering, set against the backdrop of Trump’s bid for a return to the White House, highlights how global leaders are positioning themselves in anticipation of possible changes in US leadership. “He happens to be coming to meet me next week, and Modi, he’s fantastic,” Trump said on Tuesday during a town hall event in Flint, Michigan, while discussing free trade and US job protection. He even went on to call India a “very big abuser” in trade, Al Jazeera reported. Most likely, Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting up with Trump could be an acknowledgment of the latter's potential return to power in the November election, as foreign leaders carefully navigate diplomatic relations with key US political figures. However, neither the Trump campaign nor India’s Ministry of External Affairs have clearly commented on the matter yet, meaning that the Indian leader’s plans of a tête-à-tête with ex US President Trump are foggy at best. During a press conference, foreign secretary <keyword id="20181706" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vikram-misri" source="keywords">Vikram Misri</keyword> said, "there are many meetings with the Prime Minister right now which we are trying to fix. Right now, I will not be able to tell you about any specific meeting, whether the meeting has been fixed or not." "We are looking from all angles as to how much time we have and with whom we can hold meetings. We will keep updating you about the meetings," he added. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113444882" title="Trump says PM Modi will meet him during US visit, calls him &amp;#39;fantastic&amp;#39;" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>What we do know with certainty is that Mr Modi is indeed scheduled to travel to the US over the weekend and his calendar is going to be jam-packed. His visit coincides with his planned participation at the <keyword id="23145156" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Quad-Leaders-Summit" source="keywords">Quad Leaders Summit</keyword> (including representatives from Australia, India, Japan and the US) in Wilmington, Delaware, hosted by President Joe Biden. As per a White House official, the meet-up will feature "ambitious announcements in multiple areas such as maritime security, high-quality infrastructure and critical and emerging technologies to demonstrate the group’s endurance". Prime Minister Modi will have bilateral meetings with President Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday, following the conclusion of the Quad Summit. A special event, the Cancer Moonshot initiative, is also scheduled on the sidelines of the summit. In his meeting with President Biden, India and the US are anticipated to sign several agreements, including those related to the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on drug frameworks. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that Modi and Biden will review the comprehensive global strategic partnership between India and the US, which spans over 50 areas of engagement and bilateral dialogue mechanisms. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113085171" title="India is likely to benefit if Trump wins US elections, per Nomura Global Research" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Both leaders will also assess progress in areas of cooperation, though tensions remain due to the alleged assassination plot involving Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The investigation is ongoing, and India has formed a committee to examine the accusations. This visit may serve to ease some of the friction in the relationship. Defence cooperation remains a key area of collaboration between India and the U.S., including agreements on the procurement of 31 MQ-9B Predator drones, joint manufacturing of Stryker Infantry Combat Vehicles, and co-production of GE F414 engines in India. The Ukraine conflict is also expected to be a topic of discussion. Prime Minister Modi is supposed to attend the "Modi &amp; US" community event at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Long Island. The event, already overbooked with more than 24,000 Indian Americans registered for a venue with a capacity of 15,000, has attracted attendees from 42 states, especially the tri-state area. Additionally, PM Modi will allegedly lead a roundtable with CEOs of American companies working in fields like AI, quantum computing, biotechnology, and cutting-edge technology. Lastly, on September 23, Modi will address global leaders at the United Nations' Summit of the Future (SOTF) and is expected to hold bilateral meetings with other heads of state attending the UN General Assembly. Obviously, squeezing in a meeting with Trump and Democrat Candidate Kamala Harris (you know, to balance things out) seems unlikely given Mr Modi’s tight schedule. But we’ll have a clearer picture only in the coming days. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111770277" title="PM Modi likely to address high-level UNGA session on Sep 26" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Why is Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the US this weekend?

<ul><li>India received 5 lakh <keyword id="46503" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Testing-kits">testing kits</keyword>, including rapid antibody test kits, from two Chinese firms. </li><li>Rapid Antibody Test Kits deliver results in 15 minutes. </li><li>Earlier, India’s Ambassador to China, Vikram Misri, confirmed that China has dispatched 6.5 lakh Rapid Antibody Tests and RNA Extraction Kits. </li></ul>India has just received 5 lakh testing kits, including rapid antibody test kits, from two Chinese firms, says Indian Council of Medical Research. It also said that it can test easily for the next eight weeks with the existing stock. However, rapid test kits deliver results in 15 minutes and work on blood samples instead of nasal swabs to tell whether a patient has ever been exposed to the virus. However, according to <keyword id="6364396" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ICMR">ICMR</keyword>, these are not suitable for early diagnosis of <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid-19">Covid-19</keyword>. Yet, it will solve the problem of low testing that India is being accused of. India tested 2.4 lakh sam<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/niti-aayogs-amitabh-kant-says-lockdown-is-helping-as-positive-cases-are-at-4-7-of-those-tested/articleshow/75177543.cms">ples on April 14 but the ratio is as low as 0.0177% — that’s 177 people per million</a> <div type="twitter" handle="VikramMisri" handlename="Vikram Misri" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1023249473823076352/eNEPLfgh_normal.jpg" favoritecount="1200" retweetcount="349" status="#IndiaFightsCoronavirus A total of 650,000 kits, including Rapid Antibody Tests and RNA Extraction Kits have been d… https://t.co/KtEpOJC8Du" createdat="1587006823000" id="1250623376223170562"></div> India’s Ambassador to China, Vikram Misri earlier said that China has dispatched 6.5 lakh Rapid Antibody Tests and RNA Extraction Kits. Over two million test kits being procured from China will be sent to India in the next 15 days, Misri told PTI on April 16. Two major consignments of the medical kits were procured from China as part of efforts to step up testing especially in hotspots. Misri also said that India placed orders to procure 15 million personal protection gear from China for the medical personnel, besides three million testing kits. The orders are being placed with bonafide firms with the help of the Chinese government. India has extended its ongoing lockdown to fight the coronavirus till May 3. It has reported 414 deaths due to the disease and 12,380 people have been infected by the disease in the country. Now it is busy working on containing the disease to its hotspots, while slowly relaxing restrictions on others with strict social distancing. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/niti-aayogs-amitabh-kant-says-lockdown-is-helping-as-positive-cases-are-at-4-7-of-those-tested/articleshow/75177543.cms">Niti Aayog’s Amitabh Kant says lockdown is helping as positive cases are at 4.7% of those tested</a>

India receives 5 lakh rapid-antibody testing kits: ICMR

By K J M Varma Beijing, Jun 21 () The International Yoga Day was celebrated in China on Sunday with low-key events owing to the coronavirus pandemic and the military standoff at the Line of Actual Control. China, where Yoga has been very popular, usually celebrates the occasion with numerous events ever since its inception by the United Nations in 2014. This year, the main event was held at the India House where Indian Ambassador Vikram Misri led International Yoga Day (IYD) celebration, with the participation of Indian, foreign diplomats and their families. Misri said this year's International Yoga Day was "full of challenges". "Even with the challenges we faced, we had thought of an event slightly at a larger scale but with the recent outbreak of coronavirus once again in Beijing, we have to scale down our plans to make it a small event," he said. "Nevertheless, when the pictures of this goes home there will be a small surprise for many of our friends in India who see that we actually managed to come out and hold the IYD outdoors not simply with our families but also friends who are also our extended family," Misri added. China has seen fresh cases of coronavirus in the recent weeks after being able to control the contagious viral disease after it broke out for the first time last year in Wuhan. The NHC said on Saturday that mainland China till now has reported 83,352 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 4,634 deaths. The officials alleged the new strain of the virus in Beijing came from Europe. Misri said the value of yoga is much more than ever. "In these times the value of yoga is much more than ever. The stresses and strains that are upon us in the era of COVID-19 can perhaps be addressed very well by yogic technique," he said. Few yoga associations in China have held yoga day events to mark the occasion, according to media reports. In Beijing, Yogi Yoga, a popular Yoga institution with branches all over China has held an online yoga conference, according to its founder Mohan Singh Bhandari Considering the popularity of yoga, China has established a Yoga college in Yunnan Minzu University in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan province in joint collaboration with India. The low key yoga events also comes in the backdrop of the violent face-off between the Indian and Chinese armies in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday in which 20 Indian military personnel were killed, significantly escalating the already volatile situation in the region. India has already dismissed China's claim of sovereignty over the Galwan Valley, saying such "exaggerated" and "untenable" claims are contrary to the understanding reached during a high-level military dialogue on June 6. KJV RUP RUP RUP

China observes International Yoga Day with low-key events due to COVID-19, standoff with India

By K J M Varma Beijing, Apr 8 () India and China should pool in their scientific and technological resources to develop a vaccine to contain the deadly novel coronavirus, Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Misri has said."We could cooperate on the development of vaccine for this virus...It will be of great value for the world at large at the end of day, we do have a very large scientific and technological manpower in our two countries," Misri said in an interview to state-run CGTN here. He said there should be global cooperation to contain the COVID-19. "The enemy is not an individual, a country or a group of countries. It is a virus that doesn't discriminate. It is not only important for the countries to put aside their differences but also rise above those differences. We have to realise that we are all in this together," he said. According to estimates by the Johns Hopkins University, there are over 1.44 million confirmed coronavirus cases across the world and over 82,000 people have died of it. Misri said China and India can cooperate on scientific and medical research side in health sector and in the epidemiological sector as well as it will be useful for scientists and institutes of virology from both the countries to be in touch with each other.He said India is in the process of procuring quality medical equipment in orderly and stable manner from China to deal with the coronavirus outbreak at home.When China was dealing with coronavirus crisis in January-February this year, India through a process of consultations provided 15 tonnes of medical assistance, Misri recalled."There is a lot of room for cooperation. In the present case, we are commercially procuring (medial equipment) wherever it is available. China happens to be country where a lot of it is available," he said.He said India has requested for assistance of the Chinese government in identifying the bonafide suppliers of these materials. "What is important is for quality material to be supplied at prices that are reasonable and stable," he said.China is one of the largest manufacturers of the PPE (Personnel protection equipment) ventilators and other such equipment, he said.On the 70 years of establishment of the diplomatic relations starting from April 1, he said 70 events planned by the two governments to celebrate the occasion is affected by coronavirus pandemic in both the countries. "Broadly I would say in India there is a recognition that this (India-China ties) is an important relationship", bilaterally, regionally and for the world at large, the diplomat said. On April 1, 1950, India became the first non-Communist country in Asia to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC).Misri said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping made an important contribution to the relations of the two countries by establishing informal summit mechanism. The two leaders held two informal summits in Wuhan in 2018 and in Chennai in 2019."What is really important is the underlying common understanding between the two leaders that our differences must not be allowed to be turned into disputes," Misri said."This is a good understanding on the basis for us to proceed. We both need to see that there are sensitive issues on both sides and if respect these sensitivities and conduct accordingly the relations will progress," he said. KJV ZH AKJ ZHZH

India, China can cooperate in developing COVID-19 vaccine: Indian envoy

By K J M Varma(Eds: Changing headline) Beijing, Apr 16 () China on Thursday dispatched 650,000 coronavirus medical kits to India to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic, Indian Ambassador to Beijing Vikram Misri said.Over two million test kits being procured from China will be sent to India in the next 15 days, he told here."#IndiaFightsCoronavirus A total of 650,000 kits, including Rapid Antibody Tests and RNA Extraction Kits have been despatched early today from Guangzhou Airport to #India," Misri tweeted on Thursday.As its factories resumed operations after over a two-month grim battle against the coronavirus, China is busy tapping into the vast business opportunities of export of key medical goods, especially ventilators and personal protection equipment (PPE), across the world, including India, where both private and government bodies are placing orders for the import of these products.Two major consignments of medical kits were reported to have been sent to India from China earlier as part of efforts to step up testing specially in hotspots during the current lockdown in the country.India has extended its ongoing lockdown to fight the coronavirus till May 3. It has reported 414 deaths due to the disease and 12,380 people have been infected by the disease in the country.Considering the importance, Misri said the Indian Embassy is facilitating commercial procurements besides coordinating flight linkages for their timely arrival in India.On Tuesday, Misri told media here that India has placed orders to procure 15 million personal protection gear from China for medical personnel treating COVID-19 patients besides three million testing kits.The orders are being placed with bonafide firms with the help of the Chinese government."I think facilitation of our needs and our requirements in a timely manner, in a smooth manner, on a predictable timeline at prices that are stable and orderly, would be the best signal possible to send for the India-China relationship," Misri said.As demand for Chinese medical supplies scaled up due to the spread of the virus in several parts of world, China on Wednesday asked all the countries to import these items through reputed Chinese firms cleared by the government and vowed to punish those involved in counterfeit behaviour.Responding to questions about quality concerns raised by several countries related to medical equipment imports from China, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing here on Wednesday that the Chinese government is facilitating the orderly exports."We hope foreign buyers can choose products from companies that have been accredited by Chinese regulators with good production credentials," he said. KJV RS AKJ RSRS

6.50 lakh coronavirus medical kits dispatched from China: Indian envoy

By K J M Varma Beijing, Apr 16 () China on Thursday dispatched 650,000 coronavirus medical kits to India to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic, Indian Ambassador to Beijing Vikram Misri said.Over two million test kits being procured from China will be sent to India in the next 15 days, he told here."#IndiaFightsCoronavirus A total of 650,000 kits, including Rapid Antibody Tests and RNA Extraction Kits have been despatched early today from Guangzhou Airport to #India," Misri tweeted on Thursday.As its factories resumed operations after over a two-month grim battle against the coronavirus, China is busy tapping into the vast business opportunities of export of key medical goods, especially ventilators and personal protection equipment (PPE), across the world, including India, where both private and government bodies are placing orders for the import of these products.Two major consignments of medical kits were reported to have been sent to India from China earlier as part of efforts to step up testing specially in hotspots during the current lockdown in the country.India has extended its ongoing lockdown to fight the coronavirus till May 3. It has reported 414 deaths due to the disease and 12,380 people have been infected by the disease in the country.Considering the importance, Misri said the Indian Embassy is facilitating commercial procurements besides coordinating flight linkages for their timely arrival in India.On Tuesday, Misri told media here that India has placed orders to procure 15 million personal protection gear from China for medical personnel treating COVID-19 patients besides three million testing kits.The orders are being placed with bonafide firms with the help of the Chinese government."I think facilitation of our needs and our requirements in a timely manner, in a smooth manner, on a predictable timeline at prices that are stable and orderly, would be the best signal possible to send for the India-China relationship," Misri said.As demand for Chinese medical supplies scaled up due to the spread of the virus in several parts of world, China on Wednesday asked all the countries to import these items through reputed Chinese firms cleared by the government and vowed to punish those involved in counterfeit behaviour.Responding to questions about quality concerns raised by several countries related to medical equipment imports from China, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing here on Wednesday that the Chinese government is facilitating the orderly exports."We hope foreign buyers can choose products from companies that have been accredited by Chinese regulators with good production credentials," he said. KJV RS AKJ RS

China dispatches 650,000 medical kits to India to fight COVID-19: Indian envoy

By K J M Varma(Eds: Updating with more inputs) Beijing, Apr 16 () The coronavirus medical test equipment being procured by India from China to combat the pandemic gathered pace on Thursday as 6.50 lakh Rapid Antibody Tests and RNA Extraction Kits were dispatched to the country.In a tweet, India's Ambassador to China, Vikram Misri said the medical kits were dispatched early on Thursday from Guangzhou Airport in southern China."#IndiaFightsCoronavirus A total of 650,000 kits, including Rapid Antibody Tests and RNA Extraction Kits have been despatched early today from Guangzhou Airport to #India," Misri tweeted.Over two million test kits being procured from China will be sent to India in the next 15 days, Misri told here.The Rapid Antibody Test Kits deliver results in 15 minutes and work on blood samples instead of nasal swabs to tell whether a patient has ever been exposed to the novel virus. The RNA extraction kit enables the total RNA extraction from tissues. This extracted RNA is a mix of a person's own genetic material and, if present, the coronavirus' RNA.Two major consignments of the medical kits were reported to have been sent to India from China earlier as part of the efforts to step up testing especially in hotspots during the ongoing lockdown in the country.On Tuesday, Misri told the media here that India has placed orders to procure 15 million personal protection gear from China for medical personnel treating COVID-19 patients, besides three million testing kits.The orders are being placed with bonafide firms with the help of the Chinese government."I think facilitation of our needs and our requirements in a timely manner, in a smooth manner, on a predictable timeline at prices that are stable and orderly, would be the best signal possible to send for the India-China relationship," Misri said.As its factories resumed operations after over a two-month grim battle against the coronavirus, China is busy tapping into the vast business opportunities of export of key medical goods, especially ventilators and personal protection equipment (PPE), across the world, including India, where both private and government bodies are placing orders for the import of these products.India has extended its ongoing lockdown to fight the coronavirus till May 3. It has reported 414 deaths due to the disease and 12,380 people have been infected by the disease in the country.Considering the importance, Misri said the Indian embassy is facilitating commercial procurements besides coordinating flight linkages for their timely arrival in India.As demand for Chinese medical supplies scaled up due to the spread of the virus in several parts of world, China on Wednesday asked all the countries to import these items through reputed Chinese firms cleared by the government and vowed to punish those involved in counterfeit behaviour.Responding to questions about quality concerns raised by several countries related to medical equipment imports from China, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing here on Wednesday that the Chinese government is facilitating the orderly exports."We hope foreign buyers can choose products from companies that have been accredited by Chinese regulators with good production credentials," he said. KJV RS AKJ RS

6.50 lakh medical kits to fight coronavirus dispatched from China: Indian envoy

Amid a controversy in <keyword id="6354915" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="assam">Assam</keyword>, the state government would not, for now, use the 50,000 PPE kits that it imported from China, state Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday. Assam was the first state in India which directly ordered the PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) kits from China and a private cargo flight from the port city of Guangzhou carrying the kits had landed at Guwahati airport on April 15 night. The consignment was received in the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport at Guwahati by Sarma who was accompanied by his deputy Pijush Hazarika. While addressing media on Saturday in Guwahati, the Health Minister said some people had raised a controversy over the quality of the Chinese PPE kits and some people came out with social media posts that the Defence Research and Development Organisation had rejected the 50,000 Chinese kits, thereby giving an impression these were our kits." In view of the controversy, the state health department for the time being would not be using the Chinese kits. The DRDO officially issued a statement saying it is only testing the imported kits, said the minister, expressing his annoyance over the issue. Sarma said when the Assam government ordered the Chinese PPE kits, Assam had only about 2,000 kits and subsequently the state health department had procured 1,50,000 kits from various Indian states. "Due to the controversy, doctors and nurses of Assam also became confused. So, we decided that as we have enough stocks of Indian PPE kits, we would use them now." The Health Minister also said that the state government has not released any money against the consignment. "We requested the private party who brought the 50,000 kits from China to keep them at their store in Guwahati. We said we would take those only when we need them. We don't want our doctors and nurses to go through any anxiety," Sarma said. "For now, we want to maintain the status quo. The kits are in Assam and in our comfort zone. When the doctors are satisfied and we face a crisis, only then they would use those gears. We would not pressure our doctors and nurses," the Minister stated. India had ordered 15 million PPE gears besides testing kits from China, according to India's Ambassador in Beijing Vikram Misri. The orders have been placed by several state governments and both public and private health sector. Misri had said that India planned to procure three million Covid-19 testing kits, half of which have already been delivered by China. India's current target is to produce and procure a total of 17 million PPE sets and thousands of ventilators to fight the coronavirus pandemic in the country. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/after-50000-ppe-kits-from-china-fail-quality-tests-india-ramps-up-in-house-production/articleshow/75173170.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">After 50,000 PPE kits from China fail quality tests, India ramps up in-house production</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/data-of-coronavirus-patients-state-wise-in-india/articleshow/74669748.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Coronavirus cases in India state wise</a>

Amid row, Assam not to use PPE kits imported from China

By K J M Varma Beijing, Apr 15 () Amidst growing complaints about the low quality Chinese exports of a variety of medical equipment to fight the coronavirus, China on Wednesday asked all the countries to import these items through reputed Chinese firms cleared by the government and vowed to punish those involved in counterfeit behaviour.As its factories resumed operations after over two-month of grim battle against the coronavirus, China is busy tapping into the vast business opportunities of export of key medical goods, especially ventilators and personal protection equipment (PPE), across the world, including India, where both private and government bodies are placing orders for the import of these products.Several countries including Italy and Spain have complained about the low quality of medical materials including PPE, testing kits and ventilators, casting a shadow over Chinese exports. The Chinese government has imposed strict restrictions on its firms to ensure quality exports.Responding to questions about quality concerns raised by several countries related to medical equipment imports from China, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing here that the Chinese government is facilitating the orderly exports."We hope foreign buyers can choose products from companies that have been accredited by Chinese regulators with good production credentials," he said. "Recently many countries have been purchasing medical items in China. While ensuring our domestic needs we support companies with credentials and reputation to export products", he said."We facilitate orderly exports and foreign procurement in production, transport and customs clearance. Some countries raised their demand through diplomatic channels. We recommend export firms with qualification to have consultation with foreign buyers," he said.After this approach, the foreign buyers did not complain about the quality of the materials bought from the recommended channels, he said.About complaints of poor quality exports by different countries, he said local Chinese embassies verified and responded to such complaints."I would like to say the quality of medical supplies concerns the life and health of all people. We pay high attention to that. We fight counterfeit behaviour in this process. Once there is a problem with the quality, we will investigate earnestly and punish," said.Foreign buyers need to verify the usage of the instruction of products whether they meet the criteria of the markets they are exporting to so that they won't make mistakes in a hurry, he said.Indian Ambassador to Beijing, Vikram Misri said on Tuesday that India has placed orders to procure 15 million personal protection gear from China for medical personnel treating Covid-19 patients besides three million testing kits.The orders are being placed with bonafide firms with the help of the Chinese government. "I think facilitation of our needs and our requirements in a timely manner, in a smooth manner, on a predictable timeline at prices that are stable and orderly, would be the best signal possible to send for the India-China relationship," Misri said. KJVNSA

Import Covid-19 medical kits through authorised Chinese firms for quality: China

New Delhi, Apr 16 () India on Thursday received 6,50,000 coronavirus testing kits from China even as it continued its global hunt to buy medical equipment from a number of countries including the US, the UK, South Korea, France and Germany, official sources said.They said a large consignment of personal protective equipment (PPE) kits is expected to arrive in India shortly as the Ministry of External Affairs has ramped up efforts to procure vital medical supplies from other countries.The testing kits from China came from three suppliers. The sources said 300,000 rapid antibody testing kits came from Guangzhou Wondfo, 250,000 kits were procured from Zhuhai Livzon, and 100,000 RNA extraction kits came from MGI Shenzhen.Asked about the quality of the equipment procured from China, the sources said adequate care has been taken to source the equipment from companies which that fulfil international standards for exports. In the wake of adverse reports about quality of Chinese medical equipment, Spokesperson in the Chinese embassy Ji Rong said China attaches great importance to the export of medical products and that steps have taken to ensure their quality."Some countries including India raised their purchasing demands through diplomatic channels, and we recommend qualified companies. We hope that foreign buyers can choose products certified by Chinese regulatory authorities and with production qualifications when importing relevant products," Ji said.She said the Chinese authorities introduced stricter regulatory measures, requiring exporters to declare that their supplies have obtained the registration certificate for medical device from the State Food and Drug Administration and meet the quality standards of the importing country.India has been reeling under severe shortage of PPEs and testing kits in view of rising cases of the coronavirus. According to Health Ministry data, 12,380 people were infected by the virus and 414 lost their lives.On Tuesday, Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Misri told reporters in Beijing that India has placed orders to procure 15 million personal protection gear from China for medical personnel treating COVID-19 patients.As demand for Chinese medical supplies scaled up due to the spread of the virus in several parts of world, China on Wednesday asked all the countries to import these items through reputed Chinese firms cleared by the government and vowed to punish those involved in counterfeit behaviour.The Ministry of External Affairs has been at the forefront of the government's efforts to procure vital medical supplies from other countries. Sources said India is also also looking at procuring medical equipment including testing kits from South Korea, the UK, the US, France, Japan, Malaysia and Germany. Indian missions in these countries have been tasked with immediately identifying possible areas of cooperation and engage with relevant authorities for procurement of medical equipment and technology. The need for looking at best practices, innovations, scientific breakthroughs and medical equipment to fight the pandemic was highlighted extensively by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a video conference he held with heads of 130 Indian missions few weeks ago. India is specifically looking at South Korea's approach of widespread testing and significant use of digital tracking of suspected cases to contain the pandemic. The South Korean model of 'trace, test and treat strategy' has received global recognition. Unlike majority of the countries dealing with the pandemic, South Korea has not resorted to any lockdown and allowed business and economic activities to go on as usual. MPB ZMN

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Why is Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the US this weekend?

Ashmita Gupta