Singapore, South Korea, key suppliers of Covid-19 gear

NEW DELHI: It is not just China but India’s key partners in SE Asia and East Asia –– Singapore, Japan and South Korea –– that are emerging as major suppliers of equipment to contain Covid-19.
Singapore, a key pillar in Delhi’s Indo-Pacific vision, has donated 30,000 testing kits and will supply more, officials told ET. “Thanked Benedict Cheong, CEO of Temasek Foundation Singapore, for donating 30,000 test kits for COVID 19, which have reached India. A great gesture from a close friend. More likely in the next few days even as Indian ramps up its own production,” tweeted India’s High Commissioner to the city state Jawed Ashraf.


Temasek Foundation International is a Singapore-based non-profit organisation under the philanthropic arm of the Singapore state sovereign fund Temasek Holdings. Temasek has established 17 endowments since 1974 focused on promoting social and cultural interaction, education, and aid for the disadvantaged in Asia.

Besides this, a Singapore based online platform has been identified which can supply 10 lakh PPE kits and an order has been placed through the Ministry of External Affairs to procure them, according to officials.

A supplier based in South Korea, who has tie-ups with production companies in Vietnam and Turkey has been identified with daily production capacity of over one lakh PPE kits. Orders are being placed with this company through MEA for supplying 20 lakh PPE kits, officials informed.

“Orders for 20 lakh #PPE coveralls have been placed on a #SouthKorea firm which has a capacity to produce 1 lakh coveralls per day. Supplies are expected to commence in 10 days,” tweeted the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Japan is also in the list of countries from where India is sourcing medical equipment. Incidentally Japan, South Korea and Singapore have handled Covid-19 crisis in an effective way compared to Europe.

Indian Red Cross society has arranged 10,000 PPEs from China.

The Ministry of External Affairs is also approaching suppliers in China for sourcing 10,000 ventilators from them.

Orders have also been placed with international companies like Hamilton, Mindray and Draeger to supply ventilators, officials informed.

On Monday, PM Narendra Modi urged Indian envoys worldwide to help source medical equipment to contain Covid-19.

Meanwhile, in a goodwill gesture, India has exported 90 tonnes of latex gloves to Serbia, one of India’s key partners in Central Europe following a request from the Serbian government. The Indian government has allowed export of latex gloves. The request for assistance was made by the Serbian foreign minister to his Indian counterpart, S Jaishankar.