Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine could be approved for use in India within weeks, the country's Russian ambassador Venkatesh Varma said.
The registration of Russia's pioneering coronavirus vaccine has been in full swing in India, Varma said, noting that the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDFI) has been in talks with several local manufacturers, as it prepares to launch the mass production of the jab.
"As we speak, this process is on the way [and] I’m hopeful for a successful conclusion in the next few weeks," Varma told RT in an interview. The diplomat added that, once India’s regulators give their seal of approval, the vaccine will be made available for distribution not only inside India, but also for export to Russia and other countries.
The Phase-2 trial of Sputnik V has already been completed in India, and the Phase-3 trial is currently ongoing, he said.
India, which accounts for some 60% of the vaccine’s global supply, won’t just be ramping up production to satisfy its internal demand, but is also intent on sharing with other nations "what it already has… in contrast to some other countries that want to focus on their own needs first," according to the ambassador.
