PM Modi vows to deliver 8 mn J&J COVID vaccine doses to Indo-Pacific nations by Oct-end

Addressing the Quad summit on 24 September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India will make available eight million of Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccines by the end of October under the group’s vaccine partnership. India along with Australia, United States and Japan held its first in-person Quadrilateral Security Dialogue summit at Washington wherein the leaders of the four nations discussed a range of issues including the COVID pandemic and tackling the growing Chinese influence amongst others. 

Talking about India’s COVID vaccine delivery to the Indo-pacific region, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said that it would be synchronised with resumption of the country’s vaccine exports. At the summit, PM Modi had emphasised that while the world continues to battle the deadly coronavirus pandemic, the Quad leaders have, once again, joined hands for humanity. 

"In that context, Prime Minister [Modi] announced not only the resumption of vaccines export but at the request of Quad, Prime Minister said that India would make available 8 million doses of Johnson and Johnson vaccine which is Jensen vaccine which is manufactured in India by the Biological E," Shringla said adding that Quad would bear the cost of the jabs with India paying a certain share of the total. 

"Our Quad vaccine initiative will help Indo-Pacific nations. Quad decided to go ahead with a positive approach on basis of our shared democratic values. I would be happy to discuss with my friends-be it supply chain, global security, climate action, COVID response or tech cooperation," PM Modi said at Quad Leaders' Summit on Friday. 

What is the Quad vaccine initiative ?

Launched in March, the Quad vaccine partnership aims to accelerate the end of coronavirus pandemic by expanding the supply of vaccine doses. The shots would be financed by the US, and would be produced in India by Biological E. Apart from the US, it would also be funded by Japan with Australia providing the initiative with necessary logistical support. “The commitment will be implemented by the launch of a senior-level Quad Vaccine Experts Group, comprised of top scientists and officials from our governments,” QUAD members said about the initiative in a joint statement. 

(Image: AP/ANI)

(With inputs from ANI)