Made-in-India vaccines have been supplied to many countries even last week, the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka has said

Allaying concerns over supply of Covid-19 vaccines for the second roll-out of the vaccine by Sri Lanka, the India High Commission in Colombo on Sunday said that New Delhi has not imposed any export ban on Covid-19 vaccines.

Responding to media queries regarding supply of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines from India to Sri Lanka, the Indian High Commission in Colombo issued a statement saying that there is no export ban on Covid-19 vaccines and that, supplies of the Made-in-India vaccines continue to be sent to many countries in the world.

It drew attention to the response given by the Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs of India in New Delhi on Friday in which he very clearly said that the Government of India has not imposed any export ban on COVID-19 vaccines.

In fact, supplies to many countries in various regions of the world have taken place last week also, the statement added.

It noted that Sri Lanka is among 80 countries to which a total of over 64 million doses of Made-in-India COVID 19 vaccines have been supplied, as bilateral gift, through COVAX facility and on commercial orders, many of which were placed last year.

No country has shared with the world COVID 19 vaccines in such a large quantity while vaccinating its own population, it pointed out.

The spokesperson of the Indian High Commission also stated that the arrival of duly approved AstraZeneca COVID 19 vaccines as a gift from India in January this year enabled vaccination against the dreaded pandemic in Sri Lanka begin ahead of earlier plans.

“As a close friend and neighbour of Sri Lanka, India ensured that the people of Sri Lanka start benefitting from India’s global prowess in vaccine production within days of launch of COVID 19 vaccination in India itself,” it argued.

More than 1.25 million doses of made-in-India Covishield vaccine have so far been delivered to Sri Lanka, the statement informed. Production of COVID 19 vaccines in India is being ramped up further to meet domestic requirement and global demand, it continued.

The statement of the Indian High Commission also pointed out that, supply of COVID 19 vaccines by India under the Vaccine Maitri initiative embodies India’s abiding commitment to utilize its globally renowned vaccine manufacturing capacities in fighting COVID 19 pandemic for larger global good.