Bengaluru: India will be exporting 3 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Saudi Arabia in about a week or ten days on behalf of the British pharmaceutical major which is facing production issues at its own factory in Belgium, as reported by Times of India.
It added chief executive Adar Poonawalla as saying, "We are happy to do so."
India, the vaccine pharmacy of the world, will export corona vaccine to several countries, thereby putting all speculations to rest that it might suspend exports due to meet domestic demands.
It is to be noted that India produces 60% of the world’s vaccines and countries wait with bated breath to receive it.
Serum Institute of India Ltd. and Bharat Biotech International Ltd are all set to supply the vaccines.
India has approved Covishield and Covaxin for emergency use.
He had given a call for ‘vocal for local’ as well. It will send vaccines to Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Seychelles and Mauritius.
Two countries which have sought urgent export are South Africa and Brazil.
Atmanirbhar Bharat:
When the Prime Minister launched the Atmanirbhar Bharat, he stressed on the fact that local talents must be nurtured and honoured and that India should not necessarily be an inward-looking country.
Rahul Chhabra, secretary (economic relations) to the MEA had this to say about it:
"It is certainly not inward looking", he had said adding the programme also underscores the government's faith in the private sector to deliver.
"The world has seen the danger of relying on one country. Messages have also been sent to Indian missions abroad to promote the country as an alternative low-cost sourcing destination".