As the United States is buffeted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has discussed the availability of medicines with India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said on Thursday.

She said that they “discussed bilateral and international cooperation to contain and mitigate COVID-19, including ensuring the availability of pharmaceutical and medical supplies.” Ortagus did not provide specifics of the medical supplies they discussed.

Earlier this month US President Donald Trump asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for hydroxycholoquine (HCQ).

The Indian government released to the US the HCQ, which had been ordered by the US before India imposed a freeze on exporting them. Trump has thanked the Indian people and Modi for allowing HCQ exports to the US.

India has also allowed export of HCQ to Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Israel and other countries, including neighbours, thereby establishing itself as a pharmaceutical powerhouse and a humanitarian force for the world in times of a global pandemic.