DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

GS-III : S&T COVID-19

21 January, 2021
10 Min Read

India sends COVID-19 vaccines to 6 countries: Vaccine diplomacy and SAARC

India sends COVID-19 vaccines to 6 countries: Vaccine diplomacy and SAARC

India on Wednesday began the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to six “neighbouring and key partner countries”. They are Maldives, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and Seychelles.

The delivery began with two special flights carrying the first consignments of Covishield to the Maldives and Bhutan. Sources said Bangladesh and Nepal will receive two large consignments of the same vaccine on Thursday followed by supplies to Myanmar and the Seychelles.
As part of the vaccine diplomacy, a consignment of 1,50,000 doses reached Thimphu on Wednesday. Bhutan is the first country to receive the vaccine manufactured by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII).
The vaccine is part of an overall programme to build Bhutanese capacity to fight the pandemic. On the request of Bhutan, India has also fast tracked the release of Rs. 501 crore for Thimphu’s “reprioritised projects” to meet the emerging challenges caused by the pandemic.
Later, a consignment of 1,00,000 doses was received at the Male airport by Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid and Health Minister Ahmed Naseem.
“Maldives is [among] the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. It’s a gift from India. India has proved to be a solid friend of the Maldives. India gave us support when our students had to be evacuated from Wuhan in China. In these difficult circumstances, India is the first country. We thank India for supporting us always in our challenging moments,” Mr. Shahid said.
In a press statement, the High Commission of India in Male said, “India gifted 1,00,000 doses of the India-manufactured COVID-19 vaccine to the Maldives today to meet the immediate requirements of vaccinating healthcare workers, frontline workers and those with co-morbidities.”
India will ‘gift’ one million doses of Covishield to Nepal and two million doses to Dhaka.
The Health Department of Bangladesh had earlier announced that it was expecting the vaccine on Wednesday but the delivery was finally slotted for Thursday. Nepal said the announcement of the ‘gift’ of the vaccine from India is a ‘wonder’.
The announcement came days after Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali placed requirement of the India-manufactured vaccine to fight the pandemic in the Himalayan country.
The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday declared that India will continue to supply vaccine to “neighbouring and key partner countries”, “keeping in view the domestic requirements of the phased roll-out”.
“It will be ensured that domestic manufacturers will have adequate stocks to meet domestic requirements while supplying abroad,” said the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday informing that India has also carried out capacity building and training workshops for neighbouring countries.

For complete news on SAARC: click here

Source: TH

Join Our Telegram

Uganda Political crisis

Indian Diaspora in USA - Biden Cabinet

Formation Day

03 Dec, 25
SHARE

On 1st November, eight Indian states—Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu—along with five Union Territories—Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Delhi, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry—celebrate their Formation Day. This date marks an important milestone in India

Turtle (Kachhua) Wildlife Sanctuary

02 Dec, 25
SHARE

The Turtle Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as the Kachhua Sanctuary, is located in the Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh. It is recognised as India’s first freshwater turtle wildlife sanctuary, established to conserve endangered turtle species and support the ecological health of the Ganga River. Location and Extent The sanctuary co

Introduction of AI and Computational Thinking (CT) in

02 Dec, 25
SHARE

The Ministry of Education plans to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computational Thinking (CT) from Class 3 onwards in the 2026–27 academic year. This initiative is part of the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023 and aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The aim is to prepare student

Sal Tree

02 Dec, 25
SHARE

Scientists from the Environment Department of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) in Shimla have recently revealed that the Sal tree (Shorea robusta) is the most effective natural air purifier for combating rising pollution levels. Their findings highlight the tree’s superior capacity to trap dust, absorb gases, and cleanse the air compared

US Resumes Nuclear Weapon Testing

02 Dec, 25
SHARE

The President of the United States has ordered the resumption of nuclear weapon testing after a gap of 33 years, the last test being in 1992. This decision marks a significant shift in global nuclear policy and has far-reaching implications for geopolitics, the environment, and international security. Status of Global Nuclear Weapon Testing

Quick Links Testimonials FAQ

Crash Course

Regular Modules 2024

Mains

Optional

India sends COVID-19 vaccines to 6 countries: Vaccine diplomacy and SAARC

Formation Day

Turtle (Kachhua) Wildlife Sanctuary

Introduction of AI and Computational Thinking (CT) in

Sal Tree

US Resumes Nuclear Weapon Testing

DNA

03 Dec,2025

Important GS Topics

Toppers

Search By Date

Top Editorials

UPSC Courses

Saarthi Mentorship Programme

Important Tags

Articles:Geography And Environment

Articles: History Culture Society

Articles: Governance & National Issues

Articles: IR & IO

Articles: Economic Development & Economic Issues

Articles: S&T Internal Security

Articles: Ethics & Others

Articles: Others

Newsletter Subscription

SMS Alerts

Important Links