After Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, now Kerala MP Shashi Tharoor has criticised Donald Trump’s remarks that the US may consider a “retaliation” if India does not agree to export Hydroxychloroquine.

Taking to Twitter, Tharoor said he has never in his experience in world affairs heard of a head of a government threatening another.

“Never in my decades of experience in world affairs have I heard a Head of State or Govt openly threatening another like this. What makes Indian hydroxychloroquine ‘our supply’, Mr President? It only becomes your supply when India decides to sell it to you (sic),” Shashi Tharoor tweeted.

Never in my decades of experience in world affairs have I heard a Head of State or Govt openly threatening another like this. What makes Indian hydroxychloroquine “our supply”, Mr President? It only becomes your supply when India decides to sell it to you. @USAndIndia https://t.co/zvSPEysTNf

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 7, 2020

Hours before India made it official to partially lift its ban on the export of essential drugs, US President Donald Trump in an apparent warning on Monday said, “I don’t like that decision, I didn’t hear that was his decision. I kow that he stopped it for other countries, I spoke to him yesterday. We had a very good talk. and we’ll see whether or not that’s –I would be surprises if he would, India does very well with United States. For many years they’ve been taking advantage of the United States on trade. so, I would be surprised if that were his decision. He’d have to tell me that, I spoke to him Sunday morning, called him. I said, we appreciate you allowing our supply to come out, if doesn’t allow it to come out, that would be ok. but ofcourse there may be retaliation. why wouldn’t be there?”

As India mulled on lifting the ban, President Donald Trump said he would be surprised if Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not allow it.

Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi slammed US President Donald Trump saying “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.”

The Government of India had on March 25 banned export of anti-malaria drug Hydroxycloroquine, with immediate effect to ensure sufficient availability of the medicine in the domestic market. However, India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade, an arm of the commerce ministry which deals with export and import-related matters, said it will allow export of the medicine on humanitarian grounds on case-to-case basis on the Ministry of External Affairs’ recommendation.

Following this, last week, Trump requested PM Modi to release the amount of Hydroxychloroquine ordered by his country to aid America’s fight against the deadly COVID-19 disease.

Hydroxychloroquine tablet is used to prevent and treat malaria, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, among other ailments.

Hydroxychloroquine has been approved by the national task force of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) as a prophylaxis – a treatment to prevent a disease – for people at “high risk” of contracting COVID-19. However, it is recommended only for a healthcare worker who is treating a COVID-19 patient.