Working with India on vaccine: Trump

Washington: The United States is working with India on developing a vaccine for COVID-19, President Donald Trump said on Friday and recognised Indian-Americans as "great" scientists and researchers, who are contributing in the development of coronavirus vaccine.

Modi thanked Trump for his remarks that the US stands with India during the pandemic as also for deciding to provide ventilators to New Delhi to help patients suffering from COVID-19

Addressing media, Trump said he is hopeful a COVID-19 vaccine would be available by the end of the year, and announced to appoint a former head of vaccines at GlaxoSmithKline to spearhead the effort as researchers around the world scramble to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus that has killed more than 300,000 people globally.

"I just got back a short while ago from India recently and we are working very much with India and we have a tremendous Indian population in the US and many of the people that you are talking about are working on the vaccine too.

Great scientist and researchers, he told reporters in the Rose Garden of the White House as he unveiled a massive effort to speed track the development of coronavirus vaccine before year end. "Yes. We are working very closely also with India," Trump said responding to a question.