Vaccine diplomacy

• India is already known as pharmacy of the world. It is the largest producer of generic medicines, accounting for 20 percent of their global production. It meets 62 percent of the global demand for vaccines. Since the coronavirus pandemic began, the country has been at the forefront of supplying medicines and generic drugs to others. India received requests from more than 100 countries for hydroxychloroquine
• Every box of vaccine has the phrase- sarve santu niramaya: Let no one suffer from disease
• India sent millions of doses to neighboring Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Helps counter growing Chinese influence in the south Asian neighbourhood.
• increased India's soft power and helped reinforce Indian ideal of vasudhev kutumbakam and sarve bhavantu niramaya.
• So far(March,2021), New Delhi has managed to ship nearly 58 million doses around the world to 72 countries
• India has also supplied vaccines for WHO’s Covax alliance to make affordable vaccines available in African and other low income countries
• COVID has given India a diplomatic opportunity to pursue its aspirations of becoming a global power. Its pharmaceutical industry, especially the Serum Institute of India, had already made the South Asian nation the main supplier of essential medicines to the developing world. Now it’s allowing India to push back against China’s growing influence.
• A case in point is Myanmar, which has been rocked by a military coup and shares borders with both China and India. Beijing promised to send around 300,000 doses but has yet to deliver anything, while New Delhi quickly delivered 1.7 million shots.
• India like other countries did not engage in vaccine nationalism or block exports.
• India has received praise from UN secy gen, WHO DG , prez JB to name a few.
• China’s vaccine distribution is included in its health silk road and comes with certain terms and conditions.
• United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Gutters hailed the country's vaccine production capacity as "the best asset that the world has today"
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• in TIW- By stepping forward in difficult situations, India can not only underline its greater capabilities and confidence but also build its unique brand as a generous power.
• India’s “vaccine maitri initiative” is an example of people centric diplomacy at work