New Delhi: In its fight against Covid-19, the US has extended financial assistance to countries to fight the pandemic which have crippled the economies globally. Since countries are facing looming challenges in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak, the US State Department and the US Agency for International Development / US Aid have announced emergency assistance of $508 million.

On a call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trump had requested to lift the restriction of anti-malarial drug, of which India is the major producer. India manufactures 70 per cent of the world's supply of hydroxychloroquine, lifted the ban on April 7.

Hydroxychloroquine is sought after drug as it has been identified by the US Food and Drug Administration as a possible treatment for the COVID-19 and it is being tested on more than 1,500 coronavirus patients in New York.

However, it is concerning that America has extended huge financial assistance to Pakistan as compared to India whose geographical size is prodigious. According to the US declaration, assistance worth $5.9 million has been given to India while Pakistan will receive around $9.4 million assistance.

It comes amid India reversing its decision to export hydroxychloroquine to the US on specific request from the US President Donald Trump. It may seem that the US has forgotten India is a much bigger country than Pakistan.

In fact, the US has given $2.4 million in financial aid to Pakistan to help the refugees in the past.

In South Asia, America's Covid-19 assistance has gone to Afghanistan ($18 million), Bangladesh ($9.6 million), Bhutan ($500,000), Nepal ($1.8 million), Pakistan ($9.4 million) and Sri Lanka ($1.3 million).