Will India's Vaccine Diplomacy Work?

Though its setbacks in South Asia need specifically defined strategies, sending vaccines to neighbouring countries offer an opportunity to improve ties

- Manu Balachandran

It’s been a diplomatic coup of sorts. And, it certainly hasn’t gone down very well with China.

But that’s precisely what the Narendra Modi government could have expected after it unveiled Vaccine Maitri, an initiative to send millions of doses of Indiamanufactured Covid-19 vaccines to neighbouring countries, and even nations as far as the Middle East and South America.

India had earlier supplied hydroxychloroquine, Remdesivir, and paracetamol tablets, as well as diagnostic kits, ventilators, masks, gloves, and other medical supplies to a large number of countries during the pandemic. This time, however, even as the country rolled out what’s touted as the world’s largest Covid-19 vaccination programme, it also deftly moved to send vaccines to neighbouring countries.

Quite importantly, the move comes at a time when no other country has delivered free vaccines to other countries. Even the United States, where the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are being made, is yet to send vaccines to developing nations hit hard by the Covid-19 crisis.

“Immunisation programme is being implemented in India, as in other countries, in a phased manner to cover health care providers, frontline workers and the most vulnerable,” said India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on January 19. “Keeping in view the domestic requirements of the phased rollout, India will continue to supply Covid-19 vaccines to partner countries over the coming weeks and months in a phased manner. It will be ensured that domestic manufacturers will have adequate stocks to meet domestic requirements while supplying abroad.”