New Delhi: Conveying a message of friendship and solidarity with the people of India following the country’s coronavirus crisis, the first consignment of oxygen concentrators from Israel has arrived in New Delhi. More such flights will follow throughout this week, carrying emergency medical aid including thousands of group and individual oxygen generators, respirators, medications, and additional medical equipment.

Dr. Ron Malka, Ambassador of Israel to India said, “In this hour of need, our two democracies stand solidly side by side. The State of Israel is happy to lend a helping hand to our friend India in this complicated and difficult time.”

This comprehensive delivery of medical equipment to India is the result of the cooperation of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the National Security Council, Health Ministry, Finance Ministry, and Control Center, together with full coordination with the Indian government through the Indian embassy in Israel. A task force was set up to gather support for Israel’s aid to India. Several private entities, Israeli companies, NGOs, and the people of Israel came together to contribute towards this aid.

In the first outbreak of Covid-19 in Israel, India mobilized to assist Israel, and within this framework approved the air delivery of masks, gloves, and raw materials for medications to Israel, and also helped arrange the repatriation of Israeli citizens. Now, Israel is proud to reciprocate this significant gesture.

Last year, a high-ranking Israeli delegation traveled to India and completed a series of tests to determine the effectiveness of several Israeli technologies developed for the rapid diagnosis of the coronavirus.​This was called ‘Operation Open Skies’. Israel delivered aid and supplies, including ventilators that were exported to India following an exceptional approval. In recent months, the Embassy contributed advanced medical equipment and technologies to hospitals in Delhi, including the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

The past few years have cemented the strategic relations between India and Israel and have included two historical visits of the Prime Ministers in Israel and in India. Since the outbreak of the global pandemic, both countries have shared mutual assistance in dealing with the virus and committed to joint technological and scientific research.