First Shipment of Russian 'Sputnik V' Vaccine Arrives in India Amid Surge in COVID-19 Cases

[Photo by Reuters-Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The Russian vaccine 'Sputnik V' has been supplied for the first time to India, where COVID-19 cases are surging.

According to TASS news agency, the first batch of Sputnik V, which received emergency use approval from Indian health authorities in mid-last month, arrived at Hyderabad airport in southern India on the 1st (local time).

The sender was the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), responsible for overseas supply and production of the Sputnik V vaccine. The exact supply volume was not disclosed.

The Indian ambassador to Moscow previously stated earlier this month that 150,000 to 200,000 doses (single-shot doses) of Sputnik V would be introduced, with about 3 million doses expected by the end of this month.

Sputnik V is the third COVID-19 vaccine to be used in India.

So far, the locally produced AstraZeneca (AZ) company's Covishield vaccine and Covaxin, independently developed by the local company Bharat Biotech, have been deployed.

India also plans to undertake contract manufacturing of Sputnik V domestically. Earlier, RDIF signed contract manufacturing agreements with five Indian manufacturers for an annual production of 850 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.