The UK is sending three 18-tonne oxygen generation plants, each capable of producing 500 litres a minute, on board the world’s largest cargo plane to help India.

"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," said UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.

"The UK and India are working together to tackle this pandemic. No-one is safe until we are all safe," he said.

The latest set of supplies were announced earlier and follow 200 ventilators and 495 oxygen concentrators sent from the UK to India last month, also funded by the FCDO. The assistance package has been sourced by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the offer by Northern Ireland's health service is in addition to 1,000 ventilators offered by the DHSC.

"The situation in India is heart-breaking and we stand side by side with our friends as they face this immense challenge," said UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock.