Why Biden delayed offering help to India

By Frank F Islam

On April 24 the US announced that it will immediately make available raw materials requested by vaccine manufacturer Serum Institute of India (SII) and will also send supplies of therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, ventilators and PPE  to India.

A statement released by the National Security Council, after a telephone conversation between US national security adviser Jake Sullivan and his Indian counterpart, Ajit Doval, said additionally that Washington is “pursuing options to provide oxygen generation and related supplies on an urgent basis.” The statement, which came after two overnight tweets by Sullivan and secretary of state Antony Blinken, both indicating that help was on the way, put an end to a period of speculation on whether the US was abandoning India during what may be its worst humanitarian crisis since Independence.

The period of uncertainty began after Adar Poonawalla, CEO of SII (Serum Institute of India), appealed to President Joe Biden in an April 16 tweet to lift an “embargo of raw material exports out of the US so that vaccine production can ramp up” in India.

Six days later on April 22, a state department spokesperson answered in a way that sounded like Washington might not allow the export. The next day, White House press secretary Jen Psaki clarified, stating that the US is “working cl e osely with Indian officials at both political and experts’ level to identify ways to help address the crisis.”

Yet,  an impression was created that the Biden administration might not help India. On social media, there was speculation that US-India relations were strained. A few Indian analysts questioned the reliability of the US as a partner and suggested Russia may be a better ally.

While many of these theories have since been put to rest, questions arise as to why there was this period of uncertainty about what relief and support the US would provide to India.

There are three possible reasons for this: America’s own unfinished battle with the virus. The deliberative nature of the Biden White House decision-making process. And, the understandable desire to avoid a political controversy in the middle of the pandemic in the US.

First, even though Biden has exceeded his vaccination targets for his first 100 days in office, the US is still not out of woods. On April 24, more than 50,000 Americans tested positive for the dreaded virus and around 750 lives were lost.

That is why state department spokesperson pointed out on April 22, that the country “has been hit harder than any other country around the world” and the administration has “a special responsibility to the American people.”

Second, when it comes to decision-making, Biden is an institutionalist. He believes in getting feedback and inputs from different stakeholders before making a commitment to action.

Sunday’s announcement came following days of intense intra-agency discussions at the highest level, involving NSA officials, the department of state and the office of the US Trade Representative. Interestingly, until the Sullivan-Doval call, there was no official statement from the Indian side on the issue, indicating that those discussions were going on. Finally, in these divisive times in the US, the administration must be mindful of potential attacks from the nativist “America First” crowd if it appears to chart a course in the international arena that suggests that it cares more about foreign nationals than its own citizens. It is true that there is a bipartisan support for relations with India. But there are some elected officials who could exploit  the administration’s humanitarian and completely appropriate support for India and the world.

The good — and I should add expected — news is that the US is doing the right thing in lifting the embargo on vaccine ingredients and sending other critical supplies to India. The surprising thing is that there was ever any doubt or question that it would. The Biden administration also brings a compassion and moral understanding to the table that empowers it to do this as the right thing to fight this virus globally.

Frank F Islam is an entrepreneur, civic leader, and thought leader based in Washington DC.

 

Image courtesy of (Photo courtesy TOI)

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