India is deliberating on importing oxygen containers and equipment from friendly foreign nations to address the oxygen crisis faced by the country in the middle of the raging second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Central government is also planning to press the Indian Air Force (IAF) into airlifting oxygen containers and equipment from other nations. "The deliberations are still on," said a source, adding that the places from where these containers and other equipment could be airlifted have been identified.

The source said that the problem India is facing in importing oxygen is transportation due to an acute shortage of containers to carry the life saving gas. The government is in talks with all the stakeholders in this matter. With the second wave of Covid-19 hitting India hard, the Centre has roped in the Indian Air Force to airlift oxygen cylinders, regulators, and essential medicines as the National Capital Region faces shortage of oxygen cylinders and medicines.