India to ship vaccines to neighbours in few weeks

19 January 2021 11:02 am - 10 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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India plans to ship off doses of Covid vaccine to its neighbours as part of its vaccine diplomacy in a couple of weeks, the Times of India reported.

The first destinations would be in India’s immediate neighbourhood, like Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Maldives and Mauritius to help them kickstart their own vaccination processes against the coronavirus.

The first shipments would be a goodwill gesture, while subsequently, the countries concerned would get on a payment basis from either the Serum Institute or Bharat Biotech.

India started its own Covid vaccination drive on Saturday, with almost 1.9 lakh people getting inoculated on the first day.

Nepal is the latest to ask for Covid vaccines from the government. Myanmar government declared they had signed up with Serum Institute for vaccines as has Bangladesh.

Foreign minister S Jaishankar promised the Sri Lankan leadership India would make vaccines available to them too.

Government sources said, countries would not be charged much more than Indians are paying for the vaccines even when they do have to pay for the doses. The key is to ensure that India has enough for its own needs before allowing exports of these vaccines.

Foreign countries can draw up purchase deals with the two companies concerned, but officials said these are generally being done between government health entities and the companies. So Brazil’s Fiocruz Institute has signed a deal with Serum Institute. So have other countries — UAE, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, South Africa among others. The only catch is, they need export clearance from the Indian government first.

The decision is being undertaken by the inter-ministerial body, National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 (NEGVAC), which includes the foreign secretary, and headed by VK Paul of Niti Aayog.

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Comments - 10

Mohamed Ali Tuesday, 19 January 2021 12:00 PM

From where did India get the vaccine? WHO never approved any vaccines from India. As always India makes sub-standard products and try to sell them to its 'poor neighbors'

gammini Tuesday, 19 January 2021 12:12 PM

Indians are telling lies, countries like Saudi Arabia, South Africa, .... are getting the vaccines directly from the original countries where the Vaccines were researched created, they are not accepting anything from India. Only very poor backward countries like Maldives, Bhutan and Nepal are taking the risk and accepting Indian offers. We are Sri Lanka, oldest democracy in Asia, we can’t follow Bhutan and Nepal.

Safety First Tuesday, 19 January 2021 12:22 PM

Those who are championing India, please take the Indian vaccine as quick as possible, but for all others we need vaccines made only in Scientifically Advanced Countries like America, Europe, Russia, or China.

Lauren Tuesday, 19 January 2021 12:33 PM

Why Indians are shipping the vaccines free to its neighbours, because no major country wants to buy the Indian vaccines, simple as that. We don’t want anymore debates.

Selvakumar Tuesday, 19 January 2021 12:56 PM

Indian vaccine can be satisfy the corona patient ???

Kathir Tuesday, 19 January 2021 12:57 PM

Even India offers vaccins freely to Sri Lanka the Sri Lanka prefer to buy vacation nc from their Beloved friend china.even ready to sacrifice their lands to china like Hambantotta !!!!!!!

Saman from Sri Lanka Tuesday, 19 January 2021 01:19 PM

Why this Indian interference in our internal affairs? This is another clear violation of our sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Thonda Tuesday, 19 January 2021 02:02 PM

Try the Bengali Vaccine..... Very good.

Roshanaly Tuesday, 19 January 2021 03:45 PM

Saman, India is not interfering, they are not forcing us to accept. Our government does not want to spend.

Don Senerath Tuesday, 19 January 2021 04:06 PM

India may consider Sri Lanka as current priority, to exchange valuable Colombo harbor jetty for vaccines...

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India to ship vaccines to neighbours in few weeks

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