MEA: India ships 229.7 lakh COVID-19 vaccines to countries; donates 64.7 lakh as grants

India has shipped a total of 229.7 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccines to countries worldwide, of which, 64.7 lakh doses were donated as grants, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Friday. "As of date, we have supplied a total of 229.7 lakh doses to global community. Of se, 64.7 lakh doses have been supplied as a grant while 165 lakh doses have been supplied on a commercial basis," MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava told a briefing, according to ANI. He ded, that New Delhi is in process of dispatching ditional consignments to Africa, Latin America, and Pacific island states and shipment is being aligned as per country’s domestic manufacturing and India’s own vaccination program.

When asked by reporters about shipments planned by India in coming days, MEA spokesperson said, We will continue to take forward our vaccine supply initiative in a phased manner,” ding that supply is scheduled for more countries in pipeline. India also recently held talks with Cana to facilitate supplies of COVID vaccines, as per Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tweet, following a telephonic conversation with Canian PM Justin Trudeau.

Under India’s Vaccine Maitri initiative, country dispatched millions of doses manufactured at world’s largest Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) as humanitarian aid to smaller nations. India’s generous efforts were started in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to making  medicinal product available for all of humanity to combat global pandemic and oppose vaccine nationalism.

Of millions of vial shipments that India dispatched across several countries in region, including China’s close ally Cambodia, approximately 5.7 lakh doses were sent to nations in Caribbean Region, including CARICOM plus, Cuba, and Dominican Republic, according to reports. Among those countries are Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbos, Belize, Dominica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts, and Nevis, Trinid and Tobago, Suriname, Grena, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and Grenines, and many more. 

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US calls India 'a true friend' 

Calling India a “true friend” for developing nations and its neighbours, United States hailed India’s pharmaceutical industry’s contribution to world. Under grant assistance, India has alrey played a key role in kick-starting vaccination campaign across Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Banglesh, Myanmar, Mauritius, and Seychelles. It also shipped ‘Me in India’ vaccines to larger countries like Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa. “We applaud India’s role in global health, sharing millions of doses of Covid-19 vaccine in South Asia. India's free shipments of vaccine began with Maldives, Bhutan, Banglesh and Nepal and will extend to ors,” US State Department’s South and Central Asia Bureau tweeted, acknowledging India’s role in eliminating health crisis for several nations. 

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