US VP Kamala Harris Dials PM Modi, Assures Vaccine Supply To India Under New Initiative

Talking to Kamala Harris, PM Narendra Modi expressed the hope to welcome the US Vice President in India soon after the global health situation normalises.

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New Delhi: US Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the Biden administration's plans to make Covid vaccines available to other countries, including India, under its "Strategy for Global Vaccine Sharing".

"I deeply appreciate the assurance of vaccine supplies to India as part of the US Strategy for Global Vaccine Sharing. I also thanked her for all the support and solidarity from the US government, businesses, and Indian diaspora," PM Modi wrote on Twitter.

PM Modi expressed his appreciation for the US government's decision to Vice President Harris, as well as for all other forms of support and solidarity that India has received in recent days from the US government, businesses and the Indian expatriate community in the country, PMO stated.

The leaders discussed ongoing efforts to strengthen the health supply chain between the US and India, including in the area of vaccine manufacturing. They highlighted the potential of an India-US partnership along with the Quad vaccine initiative in addressing the long-term health impact of the pandemic.

"We also discussed ongoing efforts to further strengthen India-US vaccine cooperation, and the potential of our partnership to contribute to post-Covid global health and economic recovery," PM Modi wrote on Twitter after the conversation.

 

Talking to Kamala Harris, PM Narendra Modi expressed the hope to welcome the US Vice President in India soon after the global health situation normalises.

The phone call took place at the request of US vice president Kamala Harris, sources said.

US administration has announced that it will donate 25 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines abroad, with most of them to be allocated to WHO's Covax initiative. In a fact sheet, the White House said it will donate about 7 million doses to Asian countries including India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Besides PM Modi, US Vice President Kamala Harris today spoke to Mexican President Andres Manuel López Obrador, Guatemala President Alejandro Giammattei and PM Keith Rowley, Chairman of the Caribbean Community, Senior Advisor and Chief Spokesperson Symone Sanders informed.

Vice President Harris notified each of the leaders that the US will begin sharing the first 25 million doses of Covid vaccines to their respective countries and others, as part of the US Administration’s framework for sharing at least 80 million vaccines globally by the end of June, Sanders added.

The US VP reiterated that the Administration’s efforts are focused on achieving broad global coverage, responding to surges and helping as many countries as possible who requested vaccines. The leaders agreed to continue working together to address the concerns pertaining to the pandemic.

(With Agency Inputs)