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 On Monday, the White House said 10 million doses could be cleared
for export "in coming weeks" and the rest by June. It has not
revealed potential beneficiaries, but the sources said India could
gain the most.
"The wheels of diplomacy and appeals from WHO and top public health
experts changed their thinking and now we have the U.S. ready to
send vaccines," said one of the sources, an aide to Prime Minister
Narendra Modi.
The Biden administration had agreed to ship doses to India after
initial reluctance, he added.
"We are not sure how many we will receive. All I can say here is,
our bowl is the largest and deepest."
Speaking to Reuters after a telephone conversation between Modi and
President Joe Biden on vaccine raw materials, the second official
said India was lobbying hard to get more than 35% of the AstraZeneca
doses.
"Our prime minister has been assured that India will be given
priority; the ratio of Indian share is being worked out," said the
official, who is involved in the negotiations with the U.S.
authorities.
"We are also assuring them that once COVID cases decline, we will
manufacture and distribute vaccines to other nations," the source
added, in line with a pact among the Quad group of nations
comprising the U.S., India, Japan and Australia.
Both officials declined to be named ahead of a formal announcement
of beneficiaries by the United States.
[to top of second column] |
 Modi's office and India's
Ministry of External Affairs did not immediately
respond to requests for comment.
The first source also said the government would
help Indian states import vaccines.
"We are facilitating," he added. "Some states
have the money and they are willing to pay for
it, whether it's for local or imported
vaccines."
On Monday, citing two unidentified government
officials, Reuters reported the federal
government had decided to leave such purchases
of foreign vaccines to state authorities and
companies.
India, with the world's largest vaccine-making
capacity, had donated or exported more than 66
million doses before its own needs jumped
because of the surge in infections.
Over the last six days, it has racked up more
than 300,000 cases a day, pushing the public
health system close to collapse in major cities
such as the capital, New Delhi.
(Global vaccination tracker: https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/vaccination-rollout-and-access)
(Reporting by Rupam Jain in Panjim, India;
Writing by Krishna N. Das; Editing by Clarence
Fernandez)
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