India / Brazil Prez shares Lord Hanuman's 'sanjeevani booti' pic, thanks PM Modi for vaccines

Brasilia: Brazillian President Jair Bolsonaro on Friday thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for coronavirus vaccines. India, one of world's biggest drug manufacturers is already helping several countries by providing them coronavirus vaccines. In his tweet, Bolsonaro included an image of Lord Hanuman bringing the 'Sanjivani booti' from India to Brazil. Sanjivani Booti is the medicine Lord Hanuman delivered for Laxmana, the legendary warrior and brother of Lord Rama when he was injured in battle in the Indian epic Ramayana. But in Bolsonaro's tweet, the 'Sanjivani Booti' is the COVID vaccine.

"Namaskar, Prime Minister @narendramodi Brazil feels honoured to have a great partner to overcome a global obstacle by joining efforts. Thank you for assisting us with the vaccines exports from India to Brazil," said Bolsonaro in Twitter.

- Namaskar, Primeiro Ministro @narendramodi

- O Brasil sente-se honrado em ter um grande parceiro para superar um obstáculo global. Obrigado por nos auxiliar com as exportações de vacinas da Índia para o Brasil.

- Dhanyavaad! धनयवाद pic.twitter.com/OalUTnB5p8

— Jair M. Bolsonaro (@jairbolsonaro) January 22, 2021

Two flights, each carrying two million vaccine doses for Brazil and Morocco took off from Mumbai airport early on Friday.

"The Covishield vaccine, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, departed from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) carrying 2 million doses to Brazil via Emirates Sky Cargo and 2 million doses to Morocco on Royal Air Maroc," said a press release by the airport. It mentioned that the airport has facilitated movement of over 14.17 million doses of the Covishield vaccine across various international and domestic destinations

On Friday, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in a media briefing that India had sent consignments of coronavirus vaccines under grant assistance to Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Seychelles.

Asked whether India is sending the vaccines to Pakistan, Srivastava said he was not aware of any request for their supply by Pakistan on a government-to government basis or commercial basis.

On Wednesday, India sent 1,50,000 doses of Covisheild vaccine to Bhutan and 1,00,000 doses to the Maldives as grant assistance.

India on Thursday delivered two million doses of Covisheild vaccine to Bangladesh and one million doses to Nepal under grants assistance, while a consignment containing 1.5 million doses was sent to Myanmar, 50,000 doses to Seychelles on Friday.

"Keeping in view the domestic requirements of the phased rollout, India will continue to supply COVID-19 vaccines to partner countries over the coming weeks and months in a phased manner. It will be ensured that domestic manufacturers will have adequate stocks to meet domestic requirements while supplying abroad," Srivastava said.

Srivastava said supplies of coronavirus vaccines under grant assistance will be made to Sri Lanka and Afghanistan after getting confirmation of regulatory clearances.

"Acting East. Acting fast. Indian vaccines have arrived in Myanmar to contribute to our neighbour's inoculation efforts," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted.

"Indian vaccines reach Seychelles. That's what friends are for," he said in another tweet.