India supplies nearly 60% of vaccines used worldwide: FM Sitharaman

FM Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said nearly 60 per cent of all the vaccines used in the world are produced in India and, the country has made remarkable contribution to vaccinating the world.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said nearly 60 per cent of all the vaccines used in the world are produced in India and over the decades, the country has made remarkable contribution to vaccinating the world.

India today is double dosing every citizen and produced COVID-19 vaccines even during the lockdown period, she added.

Launching the book 'India's Vaccine Growth Story' by Sajjan Singh Yadav, Additional Secretary, Expenditure Department, Sitharaman said it is in the country's DNA to be able to contribute to world vaccination.

"Over the decades India has made remarkable contribution. Nearly 60 per cent of all the vaccines which are used in the world are produced in India. India has singular contribution to make to the world in terms of vaccination and that which is being produced and supplied to the entire world," Sitharaman said.

Today, the country is double dosing every citizen, she said, adding it is not easy to produce and execute COVID vaccination at that scale.

India crossed the target of 200 crore COVID vaccinations in a time-bound manner. So far, 208.57 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered under the nationwide inoculation drive.