Indian-produced COVID-19 vaccines: ‘Priority for Sri Lanka’

Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar told Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Wednesday that Sri Lanka will be prioritized when Indian-produced COVID-19 vaccines are ready for export, the president’s office said.

Jaishankar made the pledge when Rajapaksa asked him for vaccines produced in India, the president’s office said in a statement.

India’s drug regulator has approved two vaccines for emergency use for COVID-19 — one developed by Oxford University and UK-based drug maker AstraZeneca, and another by the Indian manufacturer Bharat Biotech.

Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturing company, has been contracted by AstraZeneca to make 1 billion doses for developing nations, including India. However, delivery of the vaccine outside India is likely to take a number of months.

COVID-19 cases have spiked in Sri Lanka in recent months. However, authorities have been undecided on a vaccine until last month.

Jaishankar is on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka.