Sputnik V covid vaccine deliveries to India to begin this month
1 min read . Updated: 16 Apr 2021, 08:17 AM IST
Premium- Sputnik will be the third vaccine to be used in India against coronavirus
The first batch of Russia's COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V will be delivered to India this month, the TASS news agency reported, citing Indian Ambassador to Russia, Bala Venkatesh Varma.
"What we heard from companies is that by (the end of) this month, the first shipment will take place and the production will be (launched) there in May and slowly increase," Bala Venkatesh told reporters.
Venkatesh said that the volume of vaccine production in India will be gradually increasing and may exceed 50 million doses per month.
Sputnik will be the third vaccine to be used in India against coronavirus. India on Monday granted permission for the restricted emergency use of the Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V. Currently, two vaccines -- Covaxin by Bharat Biotech and Covishield by Serum Institute of India (SII) -- are being used for inoculation in India.
India has become the 60th country to authorise the use of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against coronavirus. The vaccine is now approved in countries with a total population of 3 billion, or 40 per cent of the world's population.
The Russian Direct Investment Fund said more than 850 million doses of Sputnik V are going to be produced annually in India -- the 60th country to approve the vaccine.
Earlier this week, the Indian government decided to fast-track emergency approvals for all coronavirus jabs that have been given a similar nod by the World Health Organization or regulators in the United States, Europe, Britain or Japan.
The move is significant as it may make available several vaccines, including those made by Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, in India with certain conditions.
