Vietnam Buddhist Sangha presents medical supplies to help India fight COVID-19

Hanoi (VNA) - The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) has presented 100 ventilators and 50 oxygen concentrators worth nearly 14 billion VND (606,000 USD) to India as the pandemic reaches crisis levels in the country.

Addressing the virtual handover ceremony in Hanoi on May 12, Most Venerable Thich Duc Thien, Vice Chairman and General Secretary of the VBS’s Executive Council, emphasised the long-standing friendship between Vietnam and India.

Thousands of Vietnamese Buddhists visit religious sites in India and hundreds of Vietnamese monks and nuns study at universities in the country each year, according to Thien, who is also Vice President of the Vietnam-India Friendship Association.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung told the ceremony that the aid demonstrates the sentiment and solidarity between the two peoples and contributes to enhancing the friendship.

Earlier, the Vietnamese Government presented medical supplies worth 70,000 USD to India, while the Vietnam-India Friendship Association donated 100 ventilators.

Dung expressed his belief that with its medical capacity and resolve, India will soon overcome the current challenges, curb the pandemic, and restore socio-economic activities.

For his part, Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Pranay Verma thanked the VBS and Vietnamese monks, nuns, and Buddhist followers for their valuable contributions.

The aid package, he said, mirrors the humanitarian links and time-tested strategic relationship between the two countries./.