Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday slammed US President Donald Trump’s warning to India where he said “there may be retaliation” if India does not agree to export Hydroxychloroquine, a key anti-malaria drug believed to be effective in the treatment of Coronavirus.

Taking to Twitter Gandhi said, “Friendship isn’t about retaliation. India must help all nations in their hour of need but lifesaving medicines should be made available to Indians in ample quantities first.”

Friendship isn’t about retaliation. India must help all nations in their hour of need but lifesaving medicines should be made available to Indians in ample quantities first.

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— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 7, 2020

On Saturday, India had banned the export of the drug “without any exception” as the number of cases spiked in the country.

Amid row over export of Hydroxychloroquine — the anti-malaria medicine approved as a prophylaxis — India has said that it “will supply essential drugs to some nations badly affected” by COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said given the enormity of the COVID-19 pandemic, India has always maintained that the international community must display strong solidarity and cooperation.

“In view of the humanitarian aspects of the pandemic, it has been decided that India would licence paracetamol and Hydroxychloroquine in appropriate quantities to all our neighbouring countries who are dependent on our capabilities. We will also be supplying these essential drugs to some nations who have been particularly badly affected by the pandemic. We would therefore discourage any speculation in this regard or any attempts to politicise the matter,” he said.

A report by BBC says, President Trump said that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved the drug for treating coronavirus, something the organization has denied. Trump later said that it had been approved for “compassionate use” – which means a doctor can give a drug that is yet to be cleared by the government to a patient in a life-threatening condition.

With 368,449 cases, the  United States is leading the worldwide cases of coronavirus. Meanwhile, India has reported 4,778 cases of COVID-19 patients on Tuesday.