India will be sending its coronavirus vaccine to 34 more countries in the coming days
Bengaluru: India is the vaccine pharmacy of the world. It has exported several lakh doses of covid vaccine. In simple terms, it has used vaccine as a tool of diplomacy across the world.
Now, India is all set to export the vaccines to as many as 34 more countries.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has informed of the same.
He said, "We have provided vaccines to around 40 countries and around 34 are in the queue to receive them further. We have finalised the list of who will be obtaining the vaccines within the next few days," to IANS.
He added, "Being the world's biggest vaccine manufacturer, it's natural that India will not just immunise its own population, but will extend it to the other parts of the world. The whole world trusts us on this".
On the issue of who would receive the vaccines, he said, "It includes our neighbouring countries, South Asian nations, countries in the Gulf region, small islands near Australia, and South American countries. So I'll say that we are reaching out to nations across the globe".
It is interesting to note that several vaccines are in the pipeline to get approval.
In this regard, he said, "I'm told that we have as many as 30 vaccines under development. Of them, five or may be seven might get approval as well. So we are so far so good".
Incidentally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi got himself inoculated with Covaxin on Monday. Union home minister Amit Shah too took the jab, followed by vice president Venkaiah Naidu, Union health minister Harshvardhan among others.
India began its second vaccination drive on March 1. Those citizens who are 60 years and above and have comorbidities like diabetes and hypertension will get the first preference.
Till now, India has vaccinated more than a crore people.
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