Credibility of made-in-India vaccines evident in their high demand: Ravi Shankar Prasad

The credibility of the made-in-India vaccines is evident with those being sought by and sent to a number of countries, which is an example of the success of "Aatmanirbhar Bharat", a senior Union minister said on Wednesday.

Responding to a query at a post-Cabinet meeting media briefing on questions being raised over the credibility of the made-in-India vaccines, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said as far as the "credibility (of India's vaccines) is concerned, the products are going to dozens of countries. In many places, they have gone for free, whereas in other places, people are asking for them".

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The vaccines are even being sent to Latin American countries, he added.

"So this is an example of the success of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and we should sing praises that Indian products have made a place for themselves globally," Prasad said.

On leaders in other countries taking the vaccine shots first, he said it is about a point of view.

"In many places, prime ministers and ministers are getting it done, here we thought that first we will get our health sector fighters vaccinated as that also increases credibility," Prasad said.

Union minister Prakash Javadekar, who also addressed the briefing, asserted that the vaccination in India has been the fastest, very successful, "faultless with hardly any complaints".

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Asked if people would have a choice on which vaccine -- Covishield or Covaxin -- they want to take, he said the country is proud to have two vaccines, both of which are effective with proven efficacy.

While Oxford-AstraZeneca's Covishield is being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India in Pune, Covaxin is being produced by Bharat Biotech.

Government functionaries also flagged world leaders from various countries thanking India upon receiving the vaccine consignments.