New Delhi

India on Monday thanked Qatar Airways for facilitating British Oxygen Company shipment of 1350 oxygen cylinders as part of COVID-19 assistance for India's fight against the surging coronavirus cases.

"Thank Qatar Airways for facilitating this shipment from the UK," tweeted Arindam Bagchi, official spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs. "Grateful to British Oxygen Company for gift of another 1350 oxygen cylinders that arrived from the UK. This is part of their generous contribution of 5000 oxygen cylinders," he added.

Earlier, a total of three oxygen generators and 1,000 ventilators arrived from the United Kingdom on Sunday.

British High Commission (BHC) had said that the Indian Red Cross will help transfer the UK aid to the hospitals. This support, previously announced, is in addition to 200 ventilators and 495 oxygen concentrators, which the UK sent to India in late April, said the High Commission.

The High Commission said that the latest assistance package has been sourced by the Department of Health and Social Care and is fully funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab had said that, "The UK is sending surplus oxygen generators from Northern Ireland to India. This life-saving equipment will support the country's hospitals as they care for vulnerable Covid patients."

India is currently dealing with a second COVID-19 wave that has swept through the nation, straining the country's health infrastructure and overburdening frontline medical workers.