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India has supplied Covid-19 vaccines to 72 nations across geographies, demonstratingnot just the selfless outlook of the nation but also the quality of its products, said Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar.

“...our Ambassadors feel every day the warmth of ordinary people across the world for India. In the truest sense, this has been people-centric diplomacy at work,” said the Minister in a statement in Lok Sabha on the Vaccine Maitri Initiative on Wednesday.

Jaishankar stressed that the supply of vaccines abroad is based on the assessment of adequate availability at home. This is being continuously monitored after taking into account the requirements of the country’s domestic vaccination programme. “An empowered committee oversees this entire process,” he added.

The vaccine supply drive began in the immediate neighbourhood, starting with the Maldives, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius and Seychelles, and then to the extended neighbourhood, especially the Gulf.

India then reached out to smaller and more vulnerable nations, including several in Africa and the CARICOM. “There were also contracts that our producers have entered into with other nations, either bilaterally or through the Covax initiative,” said Jaishankar.

Special visa scheme

To increase cooperation with SARC countries in fighting the pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has suggested a special visa scheme for doctors and nurses, said the Minister.

The PM also proposed a regional air ambulance agreement, a platform for studying data on the effectiveness of vaccines, and a network for technology-assisted epidemiology for preventing future pandemics

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