New Delhi Says Gifted Over 5.5Mln Doses Of India-Made COVID Vaccines To Neighboring States

NEW DELHI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th January, 2021) India has delivered to neighboring countries more than 5.5 million doses of domestically-manufactured vaccines against the novel coronavirus free of charge since January 20, external affairs ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said on Thursday.

"From 20 January 2021 onwards, we have gifted over 55 lakh [a lakh is equal to 100,000] doses of vaccines to our neighbouring countries and in our extended neighbourhood ... These supplies are based on requests from these countries. Over the next few days, we plan to gift further quantities to Oman (1 lakh), CARICOM countries (5 lakh), Nicaragua (2 lakh) and Pacific Island states (2 lakh)," Srivastava said at a press conference.

According to the diplomat, India has shipped 150,000 doses to Bhutan, 100,000 to the Maldives, 1 million doses to Nepal, 2 million Bangladesh, 1,5 million doses to Myanmar, 100,000 doses to Mauritius, 50,000 doses to Seychelles, 500,000 doses to Sri Lanka and 100,000 doses to Bahrain.

The spokesman added that India also supplied the vaccines to Brazil, Morocco and Bangladesh on a commercial basis and was expected to extend them to Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Canada, Mongolia and other countries.

"Further, we are going to supply 1 crore (10 million) doses to Africa and 10 lakh (1 million) to UN health workers under GAVI's COVAX facility," Srivastava said.

India is currently shipping domestically-manufactured Covieshield vaccine, developed jointly by UK pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and the Oxford University. Apart from that, the country is also distributing the Covaxin vaccine, which is developed by Indian biotechnology firm Bharat Biotech.