PM Modi, Kamala Harris discuss US strategy for global vaccine sharing, Quad vaccine initiative

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday in a telephonic conversation discussed the US' strategy for global vaccine sharing and Quad vaccine initiative to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vice President Harris informed the Prime Minister about US plans to make vaccines against COVID-19 available to other countries, including India, under its "Strategy for Global Vaccine Sharing", said the Prime Minister's Office.

US is set to allocate the first tranche of 25 million COVID-19 vaccines globally to address potential surges and the needs of the most vulnerable countries affected by the pandemic, including India.

Prime Minister Modi expressed his appreciation to Vice President Harris for the US decision, as well as for all other forms of support and solidarity that India has received in recent days from the US Government, businesses and the Indian expatriate community in the US.

The leaders discussed ongoing efforts to strengthen the health supply chain between US and India, including in the area of vaccine manufacturing, said the Prime Minister's Office.

They highlighted the potential of the India-US partnership as well as the Quad vaccine initiative in addressing the long-term health impact of the pandemic.

India-US-Japan-Australia Quadrilateral initiative, or Quad, at its maiden summit in March 2021 had decided to build a first-of-its-kind joint vaccine supply chain to address the current and any future pandemic situations in the Indo-Pacific region.

PM Modi also expressed the hope to welcome Vice President Harris in India soon after the normalisation of the global health situation, said the Prime Minister's Office.

( With inputs from ANI )