In a statement on Friday, the US State Department applauded the initiative of the Indian government to send a free shipment of Coronavirus vaccines to other South Asian countries to fight the global pandemic.
While hailing India’s commitment to helping the global community, the US State Department tweeted, “We applaud India’s role in global health, sharing millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccine in South Asia. India’s free shipments of the vaccine began with Maldives, Bhutan, Bangladesh & Nepal & will extend to others.” It added, “India’s a true friend using its pharma to help the global community,” it further added.
We applaud India’s role in global health, sharing millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccine in South Asia. India’s free shipments of vaccine began w/Maldives, Bhutan, Bangladesh & Nepal & will extend to others. India’s a true friend using its pharma to help the global community.
— State_SCA (@State_SCA) January 22, 2021
In the last couple of days, India has sent 1.5 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Bhutan, 1 lakh doses to the Maldives, 20 lakh doses to Bangladesh, 15 lakh doses to Myanmar, 10 lakh doses to Nepal, 50,000 doses to Seychelles, and 1 lakh doses to Mauritius.
India sends vaccines to all neighbouring countries except Pakistan
The Modi government has decided to send the vaccines to almost all neighbouring countries, with one notable exception of Pakistan. While the first shipment of Indian vaccines had landed Bhutan and after that in the Maldives, vaccines have reached other nearby nations like Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, and the country plans to send vaccines to Afghanistan and Sri Lanka soon.
Other than these neighbouring countries, India has also sent vaccines to Seychelles and Mauritius as grant supplies. Apart from these grants by India, the commercial export of vaccines is also starting from yesterday. Serum Institute is shipping the Covishield vaccine to Brazil and Morocco today. South Africa and Saudi Arabia will also get shipments for the same in the coming days
