More than 50 countries, including business leaders, UN agencies, civil society, ministers and Heads of State and participated in the summit. (REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo)
India on Thursday pledged $15 million to Gavi, the international vaccine alliance, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi making the announcement during the virtual Global Vaccine Summit hosted by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
More than 50 countries, including business leaders, UN agencies, civil society, ministers and Heads of State and participated in the summit.
The Prime Minister said India stands in solidarity with the world in these challenging times and India’s civilisation teaches to see the world as one family. He said the country had tried to live up to this teaching during this pandemic by sharing available stocks of medicines with over 120 countries, forging a common response strategy in its immediate neighbourhood and providing specific support to countries that sought the same, while also protecting India’s vast population.
The Prime Minister said the Covid-19 pandemic, in some ways, has exposed the limitations of global cooperation and that for the first time in recent history, humankind faces a clear common enemy. He said that India’s support to Gavi is not only financial but the country’s huge demand also brings down the global price of vaccines for all.