Over 60 foreign envoys to be taken to leading pharma companies in Hyderabad on Wednesday

NEW DELHI: In first such initiative, over 60 foreign envoys will be taken to Hyderabad-based leading biotech companies Bharat Biotech and Biological E on Wednesday in view of growing global interest in vaccine development programme in India against coronavirus, official sources said on Tuesday.

The move comes over a month after the Ministry of External Affairs briefed over 190 heads of diplomatic missions and representatives of leading international organisations on COVID-19 related issues.

Official sources said the visit of the foreign heads of missions in India to Hyderabad is being organised as part of MEA's COVID-19 briefing initiative.

The tour will be followed by visits to facilities in other cities, they said.

Asserting that India has been contributing significantly to global efforts against COVID-19 pandemic, a source said, "there is a lot of interest in India's vaccine development efforts. More than 60 HoMs are being taken to leading biotech companies in, Hyderabad, Bharat Biotech and Biological E."

The coronavirus pandemic is continuing its spread across the globe with more than 68 million confirmed cases and over 1.5 million deaths being reported so far from at least 190 countries.

As a number of COVID-19 vaccines are being developed, the focus is also now on their production.

India has already announced that its vaccine production and delivery capacity will be used to help all humanity in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and it will also help countries in enhancing their cold chain and storage capacities.

In the last few months, India has provided medical supplies to nearly 150 countries, more than half on a non-commercial basis.

India also sent medical teams to a number of its neighbouring countries to help them in dealing with the pandemic.

"India is the world's largest vaccine manufacturer. As the Prime Minister said India's vaccine production and delivery capacity will be used to help all humanity in fighting this crisis," the source added.