NEW DELHI: Top leaders in the US overnight Monday came out in strong support of India in its fight against a rampaging second wave of covid-19.

Among those who posted messages on Twitter included US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

“Just as India sent assistance to the United States as our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, we are determined to help India in its time of need," Biden said in his post. The reference was to India last year in April lifting a ban on the export of hydroxy chloroquine and paracetamol and rushing consignments to the US when the pandemic first hit the US. India is seeking speedier deliveries of key elements required in the manufacture of anti Covid vaccines in India.

Among the steps taken by the US in the coming days will be the despatch of persona protection kits, diagnostic kits and oxygen generation equipment, according to a post by US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and a phone call by US National security adviser Jake Sullivan to his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval late Sunday. India is battling a ferocious second wave of infections with the number of daily COVID cases nearly topping 350,000 and the number of daily deaths crossing the 2,600 mark. The total number of deaths was inching towards 200,000. Overstretched hospitals were reporting shortages of essential drugs and oxygen to support the critically ill.

“The U.S. is working closely with the Indian government to rapidly deploy additional support and supplies during an alarming COVID-19 outbreak. As we provide assistance, we pray for the people of India—including its courageous healthcare workers," Vice President Harris said in her post.

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in her post said she had been in close touch with Indian foreign secretary Harsh Shringla and Indian ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu.

“The American people stand in solidarity with our friends in India during these difficult times. We are rapidly providing therapeutics, ventilators, PPE, raw material for vaccines, and more," she wrote in her post.

US defence secretary Lloyd Austin, the first member of the Biden administration to visit India in March also posted a message of solidarity on Twitter.

“I’m deeply concerned about the COVID-19 outbreak in India, and today, I directed the @DeptofDefense to use every resources at our disposal, within our authority, to support U.S. interagency efforts to provide India’s frontline healthcare workers with the materials they need," he said.

In a separate statement, Austin said that India and the US were “in this fight together" and directed his department to use resources at their disposal to send across necessary equipment needed by Indian health care workers.

Vivek Murthy, US surgeon general in his Twitter post said: "Many of us have seen the heart breaking & horrifying toll of COVID-19 in India in recent days. Today's statement outlines concrete steps being taken by the United States to help address the crisis. The uncontrolled spread of COVID-19 anywhere presents a threat to all nations."

“Aid extended by the U.S. to India includes:Raw material for vaccine production, Therapeutics, Rapid diagnostic kits, Ventilators,Oxygen generation & related supplies, Financial support for vaccine manufacturing expansion, Deployment of @CDCgov, @USAID public health teams," he said.