New Delhi: India and the US have further resolved to take on the deadly Covid-19 together with Washington promising to donate “a lot of” ventilators and also co-operate with New Delhi to develop a vaccine against the virus infection.

“I am proud to announce that the United States will donate ventilators to our friends in India. We stand with India…during this pandemic. We’re also co-operating on vaccine development. Together we will beat the invisible enemy,” US President Donald Trump tweeted.

India’s total Covid-19 tally (85940) has surpassed that of China (82941) though the casualty rates (2752) are lower than Beijing’s 4633 deaths. US is the most affected by the pandemic that has so far claimed 88,507 lives and infected 14.84 lakh people there.

However, the White House didn’t specify how many breathing devices would be sent. “We are sending a lot of ventilators to India. I spoke to Prime Minister Modi…We have tremendous supply of ventilators,” Trump told reporters.

A number of countries including India are trying to source ventilators needed for hospitals to deal with sudden surge of Covid-19 cases.

Trump also said a Covid-19 vaccine may finally become a reality by the end of the year. “Indian-Americans are great scientists and researchers who are contributing to the development of the coronavirus vaccine.

Modi too reciprocated by thanking the US action and calling for the nations to fight the pandemic together. “This pandemic is being fought collectively by all of us. In such times, it’s always important for nations to work together and do as much as possible to make our world healthier and free from Covid-19,” he tweeted.

Earlier New Delhi, on Trump’s request, had exported 50 million hydroxychloroquine tablets to treat Covid-19 patients in America.