India denies it midwifed Paraguay vaccine supplies on Taiwan’s request

Sandeep Dikshit

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 8

After China was displeased with the media commentary around the exchange of condolences earlier this week between India and Taiwan, Taipei claimed there was another instance of close bonding between the two countries.

New Delhi contradicts claim

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• New Delhi has contradicted the claim by Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu that India shipped one lakh doses on its request and will again send a similar quantity to Paraguay
• “I would like to confirm that no third party was involved,” said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi

However, New Delhi has contradicted the claim by Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu that India shipped one lakh doses on its request and will again send a similar quantity to Paraguay. “I would like to confirm that no third party was involved,” said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.

According to Wu, China was pressuring the Latin American country to accept urgently-required vaccine doses only if it ended diplomatic recognition of Taiwan.

But Bagchi said India was opening an Embassy in Paraguay and during a conversation between the Foreign Ministers, the demand for vaccines was raised. Accordingly, India sent one lakh doses of vaccines to Paraguay, he added. Taiwan’s Foreign Minister said, “In the last few weeks, we have been speaking to like-minded countries and India fortunately has been able to provide some vaccines to Paraguay.”

The government in Paraguay had needed urgent help as there had been street protests over its handling of the health crisis. India had sent the one lakh doses on March 26 as “gift”.

“The most important trend is the Indian government who is willing to help and the US who has decided they want to help. I think this is going to relieve a lot of pressure for a lot of countries,” he said.