India’s role in the global COVID-19 vaccine response was shaped by its established pharmaceutical industry. This existing capacity allowed India to quickly mobilize resources for vaccine development and mass production as the pandemic unfolded. The country’s infrastructure for drug manufacturing positioned it to contribute significantly to both its domestic immunization needs and global vaccine accessibility.
Key Vaccines and Their Origins
India’s COVID-19 vaccine strategy centered on two main vaccines: Covaxin and Covishield, with others like Sputnik V also receiving emergency use authorization. Covaxin, an indigenously developed vaccine, was a collaborative effort between Bharat Biotech and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) – National Institute of Virology (NIV). This inactivated virus vaccine was developed using a whole-virion inactivated Vero cell-derived platform technology. Bharat Biotech’s high-containment facility in Hyderabad manufactured it. The vaccine received approval for Phase I and II human clinical trials in July 2020.
Covishield is the Indian manufactured version of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine (AZD1222). The Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s largest vaccine producer by volume, produced Covishield under a license from AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford. This vaccine utilizes a recombinant chimpanzee adenovirus vector platform, where a modified chimpanzee adenovirus carries the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein into human cells to induce an immune response. Both Covaxin and Covishield received restricted emergency use approval in India on January 3, 2021. The Serum Institute of India stopped manufacturing Covishield in December 2021 due to high vaccination rates in India and the emergence of new variants.
India’s Domestic Vaccination Program
India’s nationwide vaccination drive, launched on January 16, 2021, represented a large-scale logistical undertaking. The program initially focused on healthcare and frontline workers. It then expanded to include the elderly, individuals with comorbidities, and eventually all adults. The CoWIN (COVID-19 Vaccine Intelligence Network) platform served as the digital backbone for this program. This cloud-based IT solution managed registration, appointment scheduling, identity verification, vaccination records, and digital certificate issuance.
The CoWIN platform allowed citizens to register online through its website or integrated government applications like Aarogya Setu and UMANG. On-site registration was also available at vaccination centers for those without digital access. The system facilitated tracking of vaccine stocks, storage temperatures, and beneficiary progress, ensuring proper utilization and minimizing wastage. By December 2021, CoWIN had helped over 90% of India’s population receive at least one vaccine dose. The program’s success in reaching remote and rural areas, with over 73% of vaccination sessions conducted there, underscored its adaptability and reach. More than 1.6 billion vaccine doses were administered and recorded on CoWIN.
Global Contributions and Vaccine Diplomacy
Beyond its domestic efforts, India played a significant role in global vaccine supply through its “Vaccine Maitri” (Vaccine Friendship) initiative, launched on January 20, 2021. This endeavor involved providing COVID-19 vaccines to numerous countries worldwide, both as grants and commercial exports. India, as a major global vaccine manufacturer, supplied approximately 60% of the world’s vaccines even before the pandemic, underscoring its capacity.
Under Vaccine Maitri, India delivered over 162.9 million vaccine doses to 96 countries by February 21, 2022. This included 14.3 million doses gifted by the Indian government, with the remaining supplied through commercial agreements and COVAX obligations. The Serum Institute of India was a primary supplier of cost-effective Covishield doses to the COVAX initiative, which aims for equitable global vaccine access. While India temporarily suspended vaccine exports in March 2021 to address its domestic crisis, it resumed exports later that year, reaffirming its commitment to global vaccine equity. This initiative highlighted India’s vaccine diplomacy and its support for low- and middle-income countries in their fight against the pandemic.