The likelihood of the Indian government buying vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna is very less as the domestic output of vaccines has been rising.
The likelihood of the Indian government buying vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna is very less as the domestic output of vaccines has been rising.India has been inoculating the public with two locally produced vaccines - Covishield and Covaxin. Almost 65 percent of the population has been administered a single dose of vaccine. Earlier the country faced significant shortages of vaccines as the second wave of coronavirus cases left a devastating experience. Amid this, India had stopped exporting the vaccine supply to other countries and ramped up the vaccine production. The government had also given emergency approval to supply vaccines from other manufacturers, including Pfizer and Moderna. But the rollout did not happen as they wanted indemnity from legal proceedings.
However, India has managed to expand its vaccine production capacity and meet the demand. Serum Institute of India is manufacturing more than 20 crore doses of Covisheild per month. In comparison, Bharat Biotech is able to produce three crore doses of Covaxin and is expected to ramp up the supply in the coming months. Sources have told that the current output is likely enough to meet the demand, and hence India would no longer buy the vaccines from foreign manufacturers. Moreover, the local vaccines are easier to store and are more affordable.
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