Vaccine Maitri Explained

Vaccine Maitri ("Vaccine Friendship")^[1] is a humanitarian initiative undertaken by the Indian government to provide COVID-19 vaccines to countries around the world.^[2] The government started providing vaccines from 20 January 2021. As of 21February 2022, India had delivered around 16.29 crore (162.9 million) doses of vaccines to 96 countries.^[3] Of these, 1.43 crore (14.3 million) doses were gifted to 98 countries by the Government of India. The remaining 10.71 crore were supplied by the vaccine producers under its commercial and 4.15 crore were supplied by COVAX obligations. In late March 2021, the Government of India temporarily froze exports of the Covishield, citing India's own COVID crisis and the domestic need for these vaccines.^[4] The Health Minister of India, Mansukh Mandaviya announced in September that India will resume the export of vaccines from October to the rest of the world.^{[5] [6]}

200,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were gifted by India to the UN peacekeepers on 27 March to be distributed to all peacekeeping missions.^[7]

Vaccines

India has two approved COVID-19 vaccines: Covishield and Covaxin. Both of them were exported and used in foreign grants by the Government of India.

Covishield

On 1 January 2021, the Drug Controller General of India, approved the emergency or conditional use of Covishield.^[8] Covishield is developed by the University of Oxford and its spin-out company, Vaccitech.^[9]

Covaxin

On 2 January 2021, Covaxin India's first COVID-19 vaccine, developed by Bharat Biotech in association with the Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of Virology received approval from the Drug Controller General of India for its emergency or conditional usage.^[10]

Vaccine supply

India kicked off international shipment of the vaccines on 20 January 2021, only four days after starting its own vaccination program.^[11] Bhutan and Maldives were the first countries to receive vaccines as a grant by India. This was quickly followed by shipments to Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Seychelles. By mid-March 2021, India was also supplying vaccines on a commercial basis to countries including Canada,^[12] the UK,^[13] and Saudi Arabia.^[14]

The Serum Institute of India was selected as a key supplier of cost-effective COVID-19 vaccines to the COVAX initiative,^[15] 19.8 million doses of Covishield vaccines were supplied by India to various countries through the initiative.^[3]

In May, when COVAX was already short 140 million doses,^[16] the Serum Institute announced that it expected to maintain its suspension of vaccine deliveries to COVAX through the end of 2021^[17] due to the second wave of COVID-19 in India^[18] and the US ban on export of key raw materials.^[19]

As of 21 February 2022, India had exported total 16,29,63,500 doses including 1,42,67,000 vaccine provided as grant, 10,71,48,000 as commercial, and 4,15,48,500 through COVAX to 96 nations.^[3]

Country	Total	Grant		Commercial		COVAX
		Doses	Date	Doses	Date	Doses	Date
Bangladesh	225.928	33.000	(20) 21-Jan-21; (12) 26 March 21; (1) 2 April 2021	150.008	(50) 25-Jan-21; (20) 22-Feb-21; (10) 9 October 2021; 45.006 (01 Dec 2021); (25.002) 07 Dec 2021	42.920	(2.12) 04 Dec 2021; (32.88) 06 Dec 2021; (7.92) 14 Dec 2021
Myanmar	212.000	37.000	(15 SII)22-Jan-21; (2 BB) 11-Feb-21; (10 SII) 9 Oct 21, (5 BB) 22 Dec 2021; (5BB) 28 dec 2021	175.000	(20)11-Feb-21; 1 BB (18 December 2021) ; 67 (27 Dec 2021); 67 (28 Dec 2021); (20 BB) 22 Jan 2022
Nepal	94.990	11.120	(10) 21-Jan-21; (1) 28 March 21; (0.12) 7 October 21	20.000	(10) 20-Feb-21; (10) 9 Oct 21	63.870	(3.48)05/03/2021; (7.255) 28 Nov 2021; (9.72) 30 Nov 2021; (6) 07 Dec 2021; 18.71 (14 Dec 2021); (18.705) 18 Dec 2021
Bhutan	5.500	5.500	(1.5) 20-Jan-21; (4) 21 March 21
Maldives	3.120	2.000	(1) 20-Jan-21; (1) 19 Feb-21	1.000	29 March 21	0.120	6 March 21
Mauritius	4.000	1.000	22-Jan-21	3.000	(1 SII) 19-Feb-21; (2 BB) 18 March 21
Seychelles	0.500	0.500	22-Jan-21
Sri Lanka	12.640	5.000	28-Jan-21	5.000	24-Feb-21	2.640	6 March 21
Bahrain	1.000	1.000	28-Jan-21
Brazil	40.000			40.000	(20) 22-Jan-21; (20) 22 Feb-21
Morocco	70.000			70.000	(20) 22-Jan-21; (40)11 Feb-21; (10) 24 Feb-21
Oman	1.000	1.000	30 -Jan -21
Egypt	0.500			500	30-Jan-21
Algeria	0.500			0.500	31-Jan-21
South Africa	10.000			10.000	31-Jan-21
Kuwait	2.000			2.000	31-Jan-21
UAE	2.000			2.000	02-Feb-21
Afghanistan	14.680	10.000	(5) 7 Feb2021; (5 BB) 31 Dec 2021			4.680	6 March 21
Barbados	1.000	1.000	7 Feb 2021
Dominica	0.700	0.700	7 Feb 2021
Mexico	20.300			20.300	(8.7) 12 Feb-21; (11.6) 05 Feb 2022
Dominican Republic	1.400	0.300	18 Feb 2021	1.100	(0.2)14 Feb-21; (0.9) 16 Jan 2022
Saudi Arabia	45.000			45.000	(30)14 Feb-21; (15) 28 March 21
El Salvador	1.100			1.000	(0.2)15 Feb-21; (0.9) 09 Jan 2022
Argentina	5.800			5.800	16 Feb-21
Serbia	1.500			1.500	20 Feb-21
UN Health workers	1.250			1.250	(1) 21 Feb-21; (0.25) 04 Dec 2021
Mongolia	1.500			1.500	21 Feb-21
Ukraine	5.000			5.00	22 Feb-21
Ghana	27.040	0.500	4 Mar 2021	0.020	10 March 21	26.520	(6)23 Feb-21; (10.62) 12 Dec 2021; (9.9) 03 Feb 2022
Ivory Coast	5.540	0.500	4 Mar 2021			5.040	25 Feb-21
St. Lucia	0.250	0.250	27 Feb 2021
St. Kitts & Nevis	0.200	0.200	27 Feb 2021
St. Vincent & Grenadines	0.400	0.400	27 Feb 2021
Suriname	0.500	0.500	27 Feb 2021
Antigua & Barbuda	0.400	0.400	27 Feb 2021
DR Congo	17.660	0.500	4 Mar 2021			17.160	1 Mar-21
Angola	6.240					6.240	1 Mar-21
Gambia	0.360					0.360	1 Mar-21
Nigeria	97.660	1.000	25 Mar 2021			96.660	(39.24) 1 Mar-21; (13.98) 08 Jan 2022; (13.98) 11 Jan 2022; (14.73) 15 Jan 2022; (14.73) 18 Jan 2022
Cambodia	3.340			0.100	(0.1 BB) 04 Dec 2021	3.240	2 Mar-21
Kenya	11.200	1.000	10 Mar 2021			10.200	2 Mar-21
Lesotho	0.360					0.360	2 Mar-21
Rwanda	7.900	0.500	4 Mar 2021	5.000	(5) 05 Dec 2021	2.400	2 Mar-21
São Tomé and Príncipe	0.240					0.240	2 Mar-21
Senegal	3.490	0.250	4 Mar 2021			3.240	2 Mar-21
Guatemala	2.000	2.000	2 Mar 2021
Canada	5.000			5.000	2 Mar-21
Mali	3.960					3.960	3 Mar-21
Sudan	18.360					18.360	(8.28)3 Mar-21; (10.08) 12 Feb 2022
Liberia	0.960					0.960	4 Mar-21
Malawi	4.100	0.500	12 Mar 2021			3.600	4 Mar-21
Uganda	9.640	1.000	7 Mar 2021			8.640	4 Mar-21
Nicaragua	3.350	2.000	5 Mar 2021			1.350	14 Mar-21
Guyana	0.800	0.800	5 Mar 2021
Jamaica	0.500	0.500	5 Mar 2021
UK	50.000			50.000	5 March-21
Togo	1.560					1.560	5 Mar-21
Djibouti	0.240					0.240	5 Mar-21
Somalia	8.400					8.400	(3)5 Mar-21; (5.4) 19 Dec 2021
Sierra Leone	0.960					0.960	6 Mar-21
Belize	0.250					0.250	7 Mar 2021
Botswana	1.300	0.300	7 Mar 2021	1.000	1 (BB) 20 Dec 2021
Mozambique	12.040	1.000	7 Mar 2021			11.040	(3.84) 7 Mar-21; (7.2) 07 Dec 2021
Ethiopia	21.840					21.840	7 Mar-21
Tajikistan	8.905					8.905	(1.92)8 Mar-21; (6.985)27 Nov 2021
Benin	1.440					1.440	8 Mar-21
Eswatini	0.320	0.200	9 Mar 2021			0.120	11 Mar-21
Bahamas	0.200	0.200	10 Mar 2021
Cape Verde	0.240					0.240	9 Mar-21
Iran	11.250	10.000	10 (BB) 8 Oct 21	1.250	(1.25 BB) 10 March 2021
Uzbekistan	7.959					6.600	15 Mar-21
Solomon Islands	0.240			1.358750	(SL 1.35875) 18 Feb 2022	0.240	17 Mar-21
Laos	7.260					7.260	(1.32) 17 Mar-21; (5.94) 16 Feb 2022
Namibia	0.300	0.300	18 Mar 2021
Bolivia	2.280					2.280	18 Mar-21
South Sudan	1.320					1.320	22 Mar-21
Paraguay	6.000	2.000	(1 BB) 26 Mar 2021; (1BB) 22 April 2021	4.000	(4 BB) 07 Nov 2021
Fiji	1.000	1.000	26 March 2021
UN Peacekeepers	2.000	2.000		27 March 2021
Zimbabwe	0.750	0.750	(0.35 BB) 28 March 2021; (0.4 BB) 14 Dec 2021
Niger	3.802	0.250	28 March 2021			3.552	12 Apr-21
Palestine	0.250			0.250	29 March-21
Yemen	3.600					3.600	29 Mar-21
Nauru	0.100	0.100	6 April 2021
Trinidad & Tobago	0.400	0.400		9 April 2021
Guinea	1.944					1.944	10 Apr-21
Papua New Guinea	1.320					1.320	10 Apr-21
Guinea Bissau	0.288					0.288	10 Apr-21
Zambia	2.280					2.280	11 Apr-21
Comoros	0.120					0.120	11 Apr-21
Cameroon	3.912					3.912	12 Apr-21
Mauritania	0.696					0.696	12 Apr-21
Albania	0.500	0.500	16 April 2021
Syria	2.568					2.568	16 Apr-21
Indonesia	90.080			90.080	(1.375 COVOVAX) 26 Nov 2021 ;(48.675 Covovax) 01 Dec 2021; (40.03 COVOVAX) 07 Dec 2021
Australia	63.533			63.533	(31.053 COVOVAX, brand name - NUVAXOVID) 05 Feb 2022; (32.48 COVOVAX, brand name - NUVAXOVID) 09 Feb 2022
Netherlands	289.830			289.830	(30.605 COVOVAX)10 Jan 2022; (32.484 Covovax/Nuvaxovid 18 Jan 2022); (32.405 Covovax/Nuvaxovid 16 Jan 2022); (32.514 Covovax/Nuvaxovid 19 Jan 2022); (32.448 COVOVAX/NUVAXOVID) 23 Jan 2022; (32.381 Covovax/Novaxovid) 25 Jan 2022; (32.254 covovax/nuvaxovid) 27 Jan 2022) ; (32.499 Covovax/Nuvaxovid) 30 Jan 2022; (32.24 Covovax) 08 Feb 2022

International reaction

International organizations

• IMF: IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath lauded India for playing a key role during the crisis by dispatching vaccines to many countries. She said "I also want to mention that India really stands out in terms of its vaccine policy. If you look at where exactly is one manufacturing hub for vaccines in the worldthat will be India."^[20]

Countries

• Jamaica^[21] of the OACPS has thanked Indian efforts in delivering vaccines to developing and least developed countries.
• Prime minister Khadga Prasad Oli thanked India stating; “We got an early chance to administer the Covid-19 vaccine. For this, I thank our neighbouring nation India, its government, the people, and especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They sent 10 lakh doses of vaccines to us as a grant within a week of the roll-out in India.”^[22]
• on behalf of CARICOM thanked India for providing vaccine supplies to them.^[23]
• Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the supply of "Made in India" COVID-19 vaccines. She tweeted, "PM Modi made it possible for more than 40,000 persons in Barbados and tens of thousands elsewhere, to receive their 1st dose of COVISHIELD via Vaccine Maitri before receiving his. A genuine demonstration of generosity. Thank you and we wish you continued good health."^[24]
• Prime Minister Gaston Browne had thanked Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi "for demonstrating an act of benevolence, kindness and empathy", for sending vaccines to Caribbean countries.^[25]
• Afghanistan's ambassador to India Farid Mamundzay said "Thank you, India for providing Afghan people lifesaving gift on the first day of 2022!"^[26]

Leaders who received vaccines provided by India

• – Heng Samrin, Say Chhum^[27]
• – KP Sharma Oli^[28]

See also

• Vaccine diplomacy
• COVID-19 vaccination in India

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2021-03-05 . Vaccine Maitri: Consignment of covid vaccines airlifted for Guyana, Jamaica . 2021-04-27 . mint.
2. Web site: Vaccine Maitri: A Sanjeevini for the world . 4 March 2021 . 10 March 2021 . The Hindu Business Line.
3. Web site: Ministry of External Affairs – Government of India . Ministry of External Affairs – Government of India.
4. News: 2021-03-24 . Coronavirus: India temporarily halts Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine exports . BBC News . 2021-05-19.
5. News: 2021-09-21. Covid vaccine: India to resume vaccine exports from October. en-GB. BBC News. 2021-09-23.
6. Web site: India Pledges Support To UN To Ensure Syria Gets Covid Vaccines. 2021-03-23. NDTV.com.
7. https://www.livemint.com/news/world/indias-gift-to-un-peacekeepers-200-000-covid-vaccine-doses-11616728538185.html India's 'gift' to UN peacekeepers: 200,000 Covid vaccine doses
8. News: COVID-19 vaccine Covishield gets approval from DCGI's expert panel . 2 January 2021 . The Hindu . 1 January 2021.
9. News: AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine authorised for emergency supply in the UK . 2 January 2021 . AstraZeneca . AstraZeneca . 30 December 2020.
10. News: Expert panel recommends Bharat Biotech's Covaxin for restricted emergency use . 2 January 2021 . News18 . 2 January 2021.
11. News: Bhattacherjee . Kallol . 2021-01-20 . Coronavirus India begins COVID-19 vaccine shipment for six countries-IN . The Hindu . 2021-03-15 . 0971-751X.
12. Web site: 2021-03-03 . Covid-19: Canada receives 500,000 doses of Covishield vaccine made in India . 2021-03-15 . Hindustan Times.
13. News: Acharya . Bhargav . 2021-03-03 . UK to receive 10 million AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine doses from India's Serum Institute . Reuters . 2021-03-15.
14. News: Das . Krishna N. . 2021-01-26 . Exclusive: Saudi Arabia to get three million AstraZeneca shots in about a week from India . Reuters . 2021-03-15.
15. Web site: 2021-02-03 . WHO-led Covax vaccine scheme agrees to new supply deal with Serum Institute of India . 2021-03-15 . The Indian Express.
16. News: Mazumdar . Tulip . 2021-05-17 . India's Covid crisis hits Covax vaccine-sharing scheme . BBC News . 2021-05-19.
17. Web site: Findlay . Stephanie . Pilling . David . 18 May 2021 . Indian vaccine maker extends freeze on export of Covid jabs . 2021-05-19 . Financial Times.
18. News: 2021-05-26. Covid-19: Has India's deadly second wave peaked?. en-GB. BBC News. 2021-07-23.
19. https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-covid-19-vaccination-in-poorer-nations-has-slowed-posing-global-risks-11618826934 "Why Covid-19 Vaccination in Poorer Nations Has Slowed, Posing Global Risks"
20. Web site: India 'at forefront' in fighting COVID-19; 'stands out' in vaccine policy, says IMF's Gita Gopinath . 9 March 2021 . 12 March 2021 . Business Today.
21. News: African, Caribbean nations support India at WTO on COVID-19 vaccine supplies . 10 March 2021 . The Hindu. 4 March 2021 .
22. Web site: Nepal PM thanks India for coronavirus vaccines. 2021-07-16. WION. 27 January 2021 . en.
23. Web site: India's 'Vaccine Maitri' initiative earns praise at WTO . 3 March 2021 . 10 March 2021 . The Hindu Business Line.
24. https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/barbados-prime-minister-thanks-pm-modi-for-supply-of-covid-vaccines-2383811 Barbados Prime Minister Thanks PM Modi For Supply Of Covid Vaccines
25. Web site: Vaccine Maitri: Tajikistan, Belize, Jamaica Receive 'Made in India' COVID-19 Vaccines . 9 March 2021 . 11 March 2021 . The Eurasian Times.
26. Web site: India supplies 5 lakh more Covid vaccine Covaxin doses to Afghanistan. 3 January 2022. Livemint.com. 11 June 2022.
27. News: Top Cambodian leaders receive 1st shot of India-made Covid-19 vaccine . Business Standard India . 11 March 2021 . 11 March 2021 . Business Standard.
28. Web site: Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli receives shot of India-made Covishield Covid vaccine . 7 March 2021 . 11 March 2021 . India Today.