COVID-19: After Bhutan, Maldives, India to export vaccines to Nepal, Bangladesh today

New Delhi: After Bhutan and Maldives, India is now set to dispatch Indian made COVID-19 vaccines to Nepal and Bangladesh. Nearly, 10 lakh doses will be dispatched to Kathmandu and 20 lakh to Dhaka on Thursday.

As part of its Neighbourhood First Policy, India had announced a vaccine rollout for Bhutan, Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and Seychelles from Wednesday.

The consignment of COVID-19 vaccines, containing Serum Institute of India`s `Covishield' arrived at Mumbai`s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport early Thursday morning. 

The flight for Kathmandu is scheduled to take off at 6:40 am while the flight for Dhaka is scheduled for 8 am, ANI reported. 

Apart from the latest round of vaccines, earlier India had supplied hydroxychloroquine, Remdesivir and paracetamol tablets, as well as diagnostic kits, ventilators, masks, gloves and other medical supplies to a large number of countries in support to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both Nepal and Bangladesh approved the procurement of Oxford-AstraZeneca's `Covishield` vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that India is honoured to be a long-trusted partner in meeting the healthcare needs of the global community.

"India is deeply honoured to be a long-trusted partner in meeting the healthcare needs of the global community. Supplies of Covid vaccines to several countries will commence tomorrow, and more will follow in the days ahead," PM Modi had tweeted.

While, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said on Twitter wrote: "The Pharmacy of the World will deliver to overcome the COVID challenge." 

On Wednesday, Bhutan became the first country to receive the COVID-19 vaccines, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII), as a gift from India. 

Following the delivery, Bhutan's Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering while receiving the vaccine expressed that it is a gift from a 'trusted friend' who has been with Bhutan all through the decades and in this pandemic too.

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