Vaccine diplomacy in India’s outreach plan
Government readies five models to share Covid vaccines with neighbours and friendly nations
The Union government is working on at least five distinct ways, ranging from free vaccines to guaranteed supply, in which it can help its immediate neighbours as well as countries in West Asia, Africa and even Latin America, officials familiar with the plan said on condition of anonymity. The idea is to leverage the country’s standing as the world’s vaccine factory to consolidate diplomatic ties.
Indian companies are working on two vaccines which are currently in clinical trials. Though the arrangement will be largely for these vaccines, it might also include vaccines manufactured by the Punebased Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s largest vaccine maker, which has partnerships with three companies, including AstraZeneca.
To be sure, key details of the plan, which is still work in progress, are yet to be finalised, the officials added. For instance, any platform India sets up for the supply of vaccines has to respect licensing agreements that will decide where the vaccine can be sold and where they cannot.
Government officials are working out the details of the plan in consultation with the experts’ group on vaccines headed by Dr VK Paul of Niti Aayog. Once ready and approved, New Delhi will finalise agreements with the possible beneficiaries, the officials added.
The countries will be carefully chosen to include key neighbours, nations where large number of Indians are working or studying, and those who have been very helpful and supportive of India in international forums such as the United Nations (UN), the officials said, explaining the five models being considered.
The first of the five models involve free distribution and might be restricted to a few immediate neighbours such as Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and other Saarc countries. The officials added that Pakistan isn’t part of the thinking yet, and that they believe Islamabad might be relying on the Chinese vaccines under development.
The second model entails heavily subsidised vaccines being distributed to poor countries as a part of India’s international obligations. Many African nations could benefit from this, the officials said.
On August 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India is prepared to mass produce Covid-19 vaccines for domestic consumption when scientists approve the trails. “Not one, not two, as many as three coronavirus vaccines are being tested in India,” he said from the ramparts of the Red Fort in his Independence Day speech. Last week, when foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla visited Dhaka, he mentioned in a press briefing that when India is ready with a vaccine, “our closest