The Modi government on Monday gave a nod to foreigners residing in India to register on the CoWin portal and get the coronavirus vaccine.
As per a statement from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the foreign nationals can use their passport as identity proof for the purpose of registration on the CoWin portal.
"A significant number of foreign nationals are living in India, especially in large metropolitan areas. In these areas, the potential of spread of Covid-19 is high due to higher population density. To counter any possibility of such occurrence, it is important to vaccinate all eligible persons," the ministry stated.
"This initiative will ensure the safety of foreign nationals residing in India. It will also bring down the possibilities of further transfer of infection from unvaccinated persons residing in India. It will also ensure overall safety from further transmission of COVID-19 virus," it added.
India has administered over 51 crore vaccine doses across the country, as on August 9, the ministry informed.
(With ANI inputs)