India this week managed to send an emergency aid comprising 200,000 HCQ tablets to Dominican Republic (DR) located in the Caribbean. How the ministry of external affairs (MEA) surmounted logistical challenges posed by lockdown across the world to reach DR, the country which currently holds the presidency of UN Security Council, is a story in itself though.DR had approached the Indian embassy in Cuba, with concurrent accreditation to DR, for medicines on March 25. Its ambassador to India Hans Dannenberg, who happens to be the Dean of Diplomatic Corps, had also spoken to foreign minister S Jaishankar requesting him for help. Responding to a tweet by India's Permanent Representative to UN Syed Akbaruddin , UNSC president Jose Singer tweeted his country was grateful to India for this help in challenging times.Following the government’s decision to send emergency assistance to DR, a consignment of 200,000 HCQ tablets was arranged in Delhi on April 13. Efforts were made by MEA to contact courier companies for sending the consignment, despite the challenges presented by the lockdown and notwithstanding the day being a holiday on account of Ambedkar Jayanti ``It was impossible to get response from any of the courier companies. After persistently trying at various intervals the whole day, we were finally able to get in touch with DHL. However the DHL executive informed that collection of consignments in India had been completely stopped during this period,’’ said an official.The government then explored other options like sending the consignment to Permanent Mission of India in New York, for onward delivery to DR. After that didn’t materialise, it considered sending it via Brazil through a special evacuation flight (arranged by Brazilian embassy for their citizens stranded in India) the next day to Sao Paulo but this too seemed unfeasible.Finally, the MEA zeroed in on a Delta cargo leaving Mumbai on 15th April for Atlanta. However getting the consignment from Delhi to Mumbai was still a challenge.``We explored the possibility of getting another set of the same medicines from HLL Mumbai but this too was not possible. HLL said that it could explore getting the medicines from Ahmedabad to be sent to Mumbai but amidst the lockdown and given the short notice, it may not have made it in time for the Delta flight. Determined to find a way, we managed to get the consignment on a Blue Dart flight from Delhi to Mumbai in the wee hours of 15th April,’’ said the official.The ministry then got Blue Dart in touch with Delta and its customs agents. It continued to follow up on the movement of the consignment from Mumbai Domestic Terminal to the International Terminal.``Customs clearance had to be reprocessed for Mumbai airport to Atlanta. Medicines for DR finally left Indian shores on Delta flight on 15th April,’’ added the official.