India starts Covid vaccine exports with shipments to Bhutan

India starts Covid vaccine exports with shipments to Bhutan

"First consignment takes off for Bhutan!“ Anurag Srivastava, spokesman for the Ministry of External Affairs, said on Twitter. "India begins supply of Covid vaccines to its neighbouring and key partner countries.“

An official displays a vial containing COVISHIELD, a coronavirus vaccine, in Ahmedabad, India. File/Reutes

The ministry said on Tuesday "supplies under grant assistance" would be shipped to the Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and the Seychelles, while Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Mauritius await regulatory clearances to receive the vaccines.

India authorised two vaccines this month for emergency use at home, one licensed from Oxford University and AstraZeneca and another developed at home by Bharat Biotech in partnership with the state-run Indian Council of Medical Research. Both are manufactured locally.

At least two other vaccines are expected to be authorised by India in the next few months.

India initially will only ship the AstraZeneca vaccine, made by the Serum Institute of India, the world's biggest vaccine maker, which brands the shot as COVISHIELD.

Officials unload boxes containing vials of COVISHIELD, a coronavirus vaccine, in Ahmedabad, India. Reuters

Bangladesh said it expected to receive a gift of two million doses of COVISHIELD on Thursday. The country of more than 160 million has yet to start its vaccination programme and