Indonesia Sends Second Shipment of 2.000 Oxygen Tanks to India

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesia has sent 2 thousand oxygen tanks to India combat its ongoing Covid-19 crisis, as the pandemic claimed more than 300 thousand lives out of nearly 28 million cases.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto announced that the oxygen was sent from Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport last Friday.

“[The shipment] is part of the 3400 oxygen tanks that we sent to India," said Airlangga, who also chairs the National Covid-19 Response and Economic Recovery Committee or KPC PEN on the Cabinet Secretariat website setkab.go.id Monday. 

He added that they followed up a previous shipment of 1,400 oxygen tanks on May 10. 

Also read: Indonesian Envoy to India Dies of Covid-19

“The oxygen tanks reflect Indonesia’s commitment to aid a strategic partner like India. [The aid] is in line with President Joko Widodo’s order that the government has to move in unison to mitigate Covid-19 and recover the economy, and bolster multilateralism.”

Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita pointed out that the Indonesian private sector contributed to the sending of the oxygen tanks, similar to the first shipment. “Let us pray that India can control [its surge of Covid-19 cases],” he said.

“We hope that we can learn the lessons from India’s Covid-19 crisis so that we may not become complacent and maintain discipline in practicing health protocols.”

Also read: Indonesia Sends Aid to India in the Form of Oxygen Tanks

India’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Manoj Kumar Bharti, expressed his gratitude to the aid sent by Indonesia. “We have helped more than 84 countries at the beginning of the [Covid-19 ] pandemic, and now we are recipients of aid,” he noted.

“The [Indonesian] Ministry of Industry has been very helpful in organizing the companies behind the aid.” India’s surge in Covid-19 cases occurred last April, when Indian Prime Minister permitted mass gatherings for religious ceremonies and political campaigns.

(Writer: Fitria Chusna Farisa | Editor: Bayu Galih)

Source: 

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/05/31/09171521/indonesia-kembali-kirim-bantuan-ke-india-kini-2000-tabung-oksigen?page=all#page2.