India, China bury virus test kit row

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 28

India and China have moved on to other forms of cooperation in combating Covid after the Indian Council of Medial Research (ICMR) cancelled orders for virus test kits that were found defective.

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• Chinese test kit orders

The cancellation also put an end to the controversy over an opportunistic markup of over 60% by two Indian companies that imported the rapid testing kits for the ICMR. In fact, a court case between the two warring firms had brought that huge markup in public view.

Moreover, in order to remain relevant to the world by being the prime supplier of some Covid-related antibiotics and preventive medicine, India will have to depend on China which supplies almost 90 per cent of the raw material.

The Chinese embassy here had tried to salvage the reputation of the two suppliers of antibody rapid test kits by putting forth a variety of explanations after there were embarrassing variations in tests. Several countries have raised quality concerns over Chinese equipment.

India, however, is not too worried after energetic diplomatic footwork enables a South Korean company to begin the production of rapid testing kits in India.

Chinese embassy spokesperson Ji Rong, however, took exception to branding all Chinese products as faulty. “We hope the Indian side could respect China’s goodwill and sincerity, and resolve issues reasonably and properly,” she said.