India to Re-start Vaccine Export by Year-end

NEW DELHI, Oct 25: India is committed to supplying Covid-19 vaccines to other nations and such supplies are likely to begin by the end of this year, a senior government official said on Monday.

The official said the government had decided to export vaccines because the abundant production in the country would not just meet the domestic needs but also generate surplus for exports. The official, however, added that the supply of vaccines to other nations would be balanced against the country’s own requirements for its vaccination programme.

“India’s commitment to provide vaccines to other nations stands. It has been reiterated by the Indian leadership… However, major supplies to other nations will have to be balanced against India’s own needs of vaccines for the country’s vaccination programme,” the official said. India, the world’s largest producer of vaccines overall, had suspended exports of Corona vaccines in April to focus on inoculating its own population following a sudden spike in infections.

“We do foresee that there will be spare supplies and in fact going into late 2021 and beyond, there will be generous vaccine supplies, which would then become available for exports, so the situation is being watched carefully, it is a dynamic situation,” he said.

According to the official, currently the priority is to cover the eligible population of India effectively and in the shortest possible time. “The export needs and commitments are also carefully watched and monitored,” he said, adding that going forward, the calibrated approach to exporting vaccines would be taken.

The official said: “India would particularly like to fulfill its commitment to COVAX.” COVAX is a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to Corona vaccines directed by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and the WHO. The Ministry of External Affairs on October 14 had said coronavirus vaccines had been sent to Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Iran as per the government’s decision to resume their supplies.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the government has decided to send the supplies to neighbouring countries initially. India had suspended exports of COVID-19 vaccines in April. Last month, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had announced that India would resume supply of coronavirus vaccines abroad. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi said recently at the UN General Assembly that India will resume supply of coronavirus vaccines. We have decided to start with the neighbourhood,” Bagchi had said.

More than 75% of India’s adult population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with nine States and Union Territories administering the first dose to all eligible people.

Over 31% of the country’s around 93 crore adults have been administered both doses, according to Health Ministry officials.

Three vaccines – Covishield manufactured by Serum Institute of India, Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Sputnik V – are currently being used in the country’s COVID vaccination drive.

(Manas Dasgupta)