November 05, 2024 18:09 (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy booked for threatening cop probing into mining case | Supreme Court upholds validity of Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Act | Not all private properties are community resources that govt can take over: Supreme Court | Pakistan's Lahore has become world's most polluted city with an AQI of 1900 on Sunday | Indian Army 'successfully completes' patrolling to a key point in Ladakh's Depsang region
Russia keen on partnering with India in producing Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V
Sputnik V

Russia keen on partnering with India in producing Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V

| @indiablooms | 21 Aug 2020, 02:48 am

New Delhi/IBNS: Russia is keen to partner with India for mass production of Sputnik V, its Covid-19 vaccine, according to Kirill Dmitriev, the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) which is funding the vaccine, said media reports.

In an interview with India Today, Dmitriev said India has the manufacturing capability to mass produce the vaccine and hence Russia is interested in bringing India on board.

In the interview, he said Russia is in touch with Indian regulators and also manufacturers to produce the vaccine in India, adding India, Indian scientists and Indian manufacturers understand Russian technology.

Russia is going to partner with 20 countries, including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Brazil for the phase 3 trial, and India may also be a part of this, Dmitriev has said, according to media reports.

More than five countries will be involved in manufacturing the vaccine, he said, adding that there is a high demand for the vaccine from Asia, Latin America, Italy and other parts of the world.

He pointed out that the manufacturing partnerships will play a crucial role in covering the demand for the vaccine.

"We want to make this vaccine affordable and accessible with production partners around the world," the RDIF chief was quoted as saying by India Today.

However, Dmitriev dismissed fears expressed over fast regulatory approval before the phase 3 trial which involves thousands of participants considered essential precursors.

"The vaccine is safe and reliable. I have been inoculated along with my entire family, including my 90-year old parents. Our target is to inoculate 40 million people in Russia," he told India Today.

"The vaccine platform has been developed over the last six years and hence has no side effects," he maintained.

Dmitriev also dismissed WHO's statement that Sputnik V is not among the nine vaccines that it considers in advanced stages.

He said Russia does not need WHO's approval to manufacture and distribute Sputnik V.

"The WHO is changing its language on accepting Sputnik V. Countries do not need WHO clearance to procure the vaccine. It needs to be authorised by the domestic regulator," he said, quoted India Today.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.