'I have Indian jab in my arm': UK PM Boris Johnson lauds India's COVID vaccination drive

In his first visit to New Delhi as Prime Minister of UK, Boris Johnson praised India’s COVID vaccination drive. During the India-UK joint address, Prime Minister Johnson stressed on the India-UK vaccine partnership and said he has an 'Indian jab' in his arm. The Prime Ministers of the two countries met on Friday and discussed strategic defence, diplomatic and economic partnerships. 

"India has vaccinated more than a billion people, including me. I have the Indian jab in my arm, many thanks to India. That has helped India become the pharmacy of the world", said UK PM Boris.

Boris Johnson in India

Referring to his talks with PM Modi concerning the strengthening of relationships, the UK PM said, "We have had wonderful talks today & have strengthened our relationship in every way. The partnership between India and Britain is one of the defining friendships of our times."

India-UK vaccine partnership

In early March, Mumbai-based Wockhardt and Serum Life Sciences, a subsidiary of Serum Institute of India (SII), entered into a partnership to make 150 million doses of SII vaccines in Wockhardt’s UK plant.

"This is a profit-sharing arrangement whereby we are setting up a new facility at Wrexham in North Wales. The investment on the facility is a joint venture between the two partners. It will be able to make 150 million doses of any SII vaccine for which they deliver the drug substance to us," Habil Khorakiwala, chairman, of Wockhardt had stated.

Natasha Poonawalla, the chairperson, Serum Life Sciences had said, “We are delighted to have formed a strategic partnership between Wockhardt and Serum Life Sciences. The collaboration will be instrumental in building long-term capacity in the UK. With this, we seek to further bolster supply resilience and support the global rollout of vaccines.”

In May 2021, India and the UK agreed to "expand and enhance" their existing partnership on vaccines, besides vowing to work together to reform and strengthen the World Health Organization (WHO) and the global health security architecture to strengthen pandemic resilience.

(Image: PTI)