From COVID vaccine exporter, India turns importer as shortage hits the world

GUWAHATI: After gifting and selling tens of millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses abroad, India suddenly finds itself short of shots as new infections surge in the world's second-most populous country. India breached 200,000 daily infections for the first time on Thursday.

Faced with a 'second wave' of infections, the country has changed the rules to allow it to fast-track vaccine imports, having earlier rebuffed foreign drugmakers like Pfizer.

The country will import Russia's Sputnik V vaccine starting this month to cover as many as 125 million people.

The reversal in fortunes could hamper not only India's battle to contain the pandemic but also vaccination campaigns in more than 60 poorer countries, mainly in Africa, for months.

But so far this month India has only exported around 1.2 million vaccine doses. That compares with 64 million doses shipped abroad between late January and March, according to data from the foreign ministry. This could hamper vaccination campaigns in more than 60 poorer countries, mainly in Africa. The COVAX programme, backed by the World Health Organization and Gavi vaccine alliance, aims at equitable vaccine access around the world, and is relying heavily on supplies from India.

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India's foreign ministry, which oversees vaccine deals with other countries, said last week that Indian demand would dictate the level of exports.

The director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, John Nkengasong, said earlier this month delays in supplies from India could be "catastrophic".

The Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's biggest vaccine manufacturer, had vowed to deliver at least 2 billion COVID-19 shots to low and middle-income countries.

A further initial hurdle to SII's supply ambitions was India's hesitation in placing firm orders, two sources said.

SII has sought more than $400 million from the government to increase capacity, but no commitment has yet been made.

The health department and foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment on issues of funding, purchasing delays and other aspects of India's vaccination rollout.

COVAX also did not green-light shipments to participating countries from SII until after the shot received WHO clearance in mid-February, said a source involved in the COVAX initiative.

The source said those delays meant tens of millions of additional doses that the SII could have produced between October and February never materialised.

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