Union minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar said on Wednesday the Indian government is working with several countries to recognise its vaccine certification on a mutual reciprocal basis. This came on the day the UK added Covishield, the India-manufactured Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, to its list of approved vaccines.
After an earlier travel advisory of the UK government did not recognize the vaccine, the Indian government had cautioned against reciprocal measures over “discriminatory” action against a UK-licensed product.
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Addressing the media, Chandrashekhar said, as the world will seek a more rule-based, transparent and democratic future in the post-Covid order, India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will play a significant role in shaping it.
On Wednesday, PM Modi embarked on a three-day visit to the United States to address the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). He will also participate in the Quad Leaders’ Summit and hold a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House during the trip.
To a question about some countries not recognising Indian vaccines, he said fear and paranoia about travel have become high in the pandemic and every sovereign country will take a decision which it thinks is in the best interest of its people.
{{/usCountry}}To a question about some countries not recognising Indian vaccines, he said fear and paranoia about travel have become high in the pandemic and every sovereign country will take a decision which it thinks is in the best interest of its people.
{{/usCountry}}Stating this as his personal opinion, the minister said there is nothing right and wrong about this as some countries will take stronger view on what vaccine will be accepted by their medical fraternity because of “the unknown” about the pandemic.