Trump speaks of retaliation if India turns down request for anti-malarial drug

Washington, Apr 07: US President Donald Trump has spoken of retaliation if India turned down his request to lift the hold on US orders of the antimalarial drug. Trump has touted this drug as a game changer in the fight against coronavirus.

He said we would appreciate you allowing our supply to come out. If he does not allow it to come out, that would be okay, but, of course they may be retaliation, Trump said at the daily White House bringing on the outbreak of the virus.

During the conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump last week, the former had said that India would do all it could.

India is one of the largest manufacturers of hydroxychloroquine in the world. India had banned the export stating that it was essential for its own domestic to fight the pandemic.

The restriction on hydroxychloroquine was upgraded to a blanket ban, without exemptions on humanitarian and other grounds on Saturday. This was a day before Trump called Modi.

Trump said, " I don't like that decision. I didn't hear that, that was his decision. I know he stopped it for other countries. I spoke to him, we had a very good talk and we will see whether or not that was his decision. I would be surprised if he would you know, because India does very well in the United States."

For many years they have been taking advantage of the United States on trade. So I would be surprised if that was the decision. He would have to tell me that, Trump also said.

While Trump has touted the hydroxychloroquine as a game changer, there is no proven evidence as yet that it works against coronavirus. While there have been studies and trials, scientists have said that they were either too small or without necessary protocols to establish its effectiveness.