After receiving a call by Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, India has in principle agreed to supply 5 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccines. The country had demanded 1 million doses of covishield vaccine on February 5. Notably, India’s Serum Institute has collaborated with AstraZeneca Plc and Oxford University to produce and manufacture their coronavirus vaccine locallt.
The covid-19 vaccine supply to Canada was approved in principle after PM Trudeau called Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on February 10.
According to several media reports, while the delivery of Astra-Zeneca vaccine to Canada is in the process of being tied up, the requests from Ottawa was approved last week.
Besides discussing vaccine, the two leaders also discussed various issues concerning both the nations. PM Modi was also assured by his Canadian counterpart about the safety and security of Indian diplomats and diaspora, who were being targeted by separatists in Vancouver and Toronto. Notably, Indian envoys in Ottawa and Vancouver were threatened by pro-Khalistan activists.
On Sunday, the country sent a shipment of over 8 lakh vaccine doses to Mexico. The Modi government has also decided to supply covid vaccines to armies of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and other neighbouring countries. Earlier the country had shipped the vaccine for free as a humanitarian gestures under its vaccine maitri programme, while now the commercial shipment has started.
