After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called up Prime Minister Narendra Modi for coronavirus disease (covid-19) vaccine, India has in principle approved supply of half-a-million doses of Covishield vaccine for Canada in February.
The Modi government has also decided to supply Covid vaccine to armies of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and other neighbouring countries. The process of army to army supply has already begun and the vaccine will be distributed by Indian Army to friendly countries. The supplies will be a mix of Covaxin and Covishield vaccine, the same way as has been applied to Indian Army’s frontline troops.
According to people aware of the development, while the supply and delivery of Astra-Zeneca vaccine to Canada is in the process of being tied up, the request from Ottawa was approved last week. Canada has asked for one million doses of the Covishield vaccine on February 5.
The vaccine supply to Canada was approved in principle after PM Trudeau called up PM Modi on February 10. While the Canadian Prime Minister discussed vaccine supplies with PM Modi, he also assured safety and security for Indian diplomats and diaspora, who were being targeted by separatists elements based in Toronto and Vancouver. The Indian envoys in Ottawa and Vancouver were threatened by so-called Khalistan separatists under the garb of protests against the three farm laws. However, action against identified culprits by Indian High Commission is still to be taken even as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is investigating the issue.
Closer to home, the Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday approved supply of Covid vaccine to armies of friendly countries with Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal top on the priority list. It was decided that the supplies to armed forces of friendly countries will be dealt by Indian armed forces as a sign of deepening defence cooperation.
Feeling-Criticism-92 on February 14th, 2021 at 21:41 UTC »
Canada has to stop pandering so much to China and really bolster our relationship with India. Not only does this create a buffer for our economy but would also create physical representation in the Far East where we could still get cheaper labour for our imported products from a country which stands to be a powerhouse in the future. I would rather back India than China any day of the week.
Man_Bear_Beaver on February 14th, 2021 at 21:24 UTC »
Not sure about Covaxin but Covishield is the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Ilikewaterandjuice on February 14th, 2021 at 20:36 UTC »
This is good news, but another story in this said Modhi promises to do their best to get 500k doses to Canada in February... There is no guarantee. But still better than nothing.