India increases engagement with Myanmar, Bangladesh on COVID-19 vaccine

Indian delegation recently visited both Myanmar and Bangladesh to discuss on developments related to COVID vaccine .

New Delhi: India has increased its engagement with Myanmar and Bangladesh on COVID vaccine with in-person and virtual high-level meetings with officials of the two countries. 

Earlier this month an Indian delegation visited Bangladesh from 17th to 19th October with Ministry of External Affairs saying that both sides had "fruitful discussions" on the "current stage of vaccine development in India and modalities of clinical trials in Bangladesh"

With Myanmar, a virtual interaction happened with key stakeholders from both sides present in the meeting. The MEA said, "As the situation with respect to vaccine development evolves, the sides will discuss and decide on modalities of cooperation."

India's foreign secretary Harsh Shringla had visited both the countries and cooperation amidst the COVID crisis and COVID vaccine was the key focus of the meet. During his Myanmar visit earlier this month along with Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane.

India gifted 3000 vials of Anti Covid Remdesivir to State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi as a "symbol" of India‘s commitment to helping Myanmar mitigate the impact of the pandemic.

Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the United Nations General Assembly had announced that India’s vaccine production and delivery capacity will be used to "help all humanity" in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

While India has sent medicines like HCQ, Paracetamol to more than 150 countries, it is also been organising training to build capacity. In fact, for the neighbourhood, India has organized two training modules in which about 90 health experts and scientists have participated.