The Indo-German ties date back to well over six decades of time. Fact. India happens to be the 24th largest export destination of Deutschland. Another fact. The German exports to India- which are of varied kinds, including- plastic, rubber, wearing apparel, Iron or Steel plates (to quote a few)- stood at a massive 1071946 million Euros as of December 2020. Also a fact!
But none of the above matters as much and as distinctly toward defining the current thread of the Indo-German ties as the help the Angela Merkel-land is extending to India at this point in time.
If you are unnerved- as are countless individuals around the country- regarding the dire straits that India finds itself handling in these COVID 19-marred times, then you would certainly have noted a key anomaly in all major hospitals around the country.
There’s not a single day and not a single hour where any of the mainstream news media outlet does not publish information about just how acute a shortage there is at present with regards to the oxygen cylinders.
23 Oxygen-generating plants are to be received from Germany in the imminent future.
In fact, things have gone as far as many hospitals simply refraining to admit new patients unless and until it can stack the sufficient number of oxygen-generating plants.
So where did India go to in this moment of grave crisis? Well, where else but the land of the great Kant, Schopenhauer, Marx, Schumacher and the evergreen Bavarian forests: Germany!
As it turns out, Germany is offering timely support to a very relevant and meaningful cause, one that can assuage the chronic stress being faced by countless Indian hospitals. One of the most vital pieces of breaking news from the Indian heartland is that the Armed Forces Medical Service, also known as the AFMS has decided to import not just oxygen-generating plants but also cylinders from Germany.
The critical measure is being done in order to meet the acute shortage of oxygen cylinders across the country.
This is, without an error, one of the key operations in which the venerable Ministry of Defence finds itself fully involved at this moment of grief for its country.
Meanwhile, here is what the Tribune had to say on the developing story:
The oxygen units will be deployed only at military hospitals that are straining under an increased load of serving personnel and retired veterans. Fresh instructions and revised protocols were issued by service headquarters last week to help mitigate the spread of infections.
“These 23 mobile oxygen generation plants are being airlifted from Germany. These will be deployed in AFMS hospitals catering to the COVID patients,” shared the official spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence Mr. Bharat Bhushan Babu.
What’s also important to note is the fact that the supplies will reach India in another week’s time.
But if you are wondering how did this current operation came to light, then the following is what you need to note: (as stated by the Tribune)
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, at a high-level review meeting on April 20, directed the armed forces to go ahead with the procurement of critical medical requirements under emergency powers of procurement.
To sum it up, as it often transpires during moments marred by grave criss such as the looming COVID 19 catastrophe, the nation’s first line of defence, i.e., the Armed Forces have already deployed their troops, equipments and facilities wherever there exists a critical need.