IMF's Gita Gopinath champions India's COVID vaccine policy; makes 'mfg hub' declaration

The International Monetary Fund's (IMF's) Chief Economist Gita Gopinath on Monday hailed India for shipping the COVID-19 vaccines to several nations and said that India has been at the forefront in fighting the coronavirus pandemic and "really stands out" in terms of its vaccine policy. She said this during an interactive session during the Inaugural Dr. Hansa Mehta Lecture organized on the occasion of International Women's Day.

Gopinath said, "I also want to mention that India really stands out in terms of its vaccine policy. If you look at where exactly is one manufacturing hub for vaccines in the world - that will be India."

"The country has been playing a very important role in helping the world in the global health crisis through its vaccination policies", she added. 

She also hailed the Serum Institute of India and said that it produces the most number of vaccines in the world in a regular year and has been manufacturing the COVID-19 vaccine doses that are delivered to COVAX and then distributed to countries around the world. Gopinath further mentioned that the country, which typically grows at over 6 percent, recorded a growth of negative 8 percent in 2020.

The lecture, named in the memory of the pioneering Indian reformer and educator, was organized virtually by India's Permanent Mission to the UN and The United Nations Academic Impact.

Gopinath backs Fram Laws

In January, Gopinath had hailed the three farms laws and had said that India's recently-enacted agricultural laws have the potential to increase farmers' income, but there is a need to provide a social safety net to the vulnerable cultivators. She was quoted saying, "These particular farm laws were in the area of marketing. It was widening the market for farmers. Being able to sell to multiple outlets besides the Mandis without having to pay a tax. And this had the potential to raise, in our view, farmers' incomes."

(With Agency Inputs)