Tharoor Commends Modi Government's Vaccine Diplomacy in Global Health Crisis
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Synopsis
On March 31, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor commended the Modi government's 'Vaccine Maitri' initiative, launched during the Covid-19 pandemic, calling it a pivotal achievement for India in global health diplomacy.
Key Takeaways
- Vaccine Maitri distributed vaccines to over 100 countries.
- India's approach showcased soft power and international solidarity.
- The initiative aided India's global standing during the pandemic.
- Tharoor emphasized India's role in the global COVAX initiative.
- Health diplomacy included sending medical teams abroad.
New Delhi, March 31 (NationPress) Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday lauded the Centre's 'Vaccine Maitri' initiative, launched during the Covid-19 pandemic, labeling it among India's most remarkable achievements.
India's vaccine diplomacy during the Covid crisis is a notable example of international leadership characterized by responsibility and solidarity, Tharoor articulated in an article for The Week.
Having served as MoS External Affairs during the Congress-led UPA, Tharoor recognized India's vaccine diplomacy in 2020-2021, asserting that it epitomized and enhanced the essence of India's soft power.
Vaccine Maitri (Vaccine Friendship) was a humanitarian effort initiated by the Narendra Modi administration to distribute vaccines to over 100 nations globally amidst the pandemic's devastation. The Centre began this distribution on January 20, 2021.
India, after producing two key vaccines—Covishield and CoVaxin—supplied them to more than 100 countries, including Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives, Bangladesh, several African nations, and Myanmar. Tharoor noted that India achieved what wealthier nations failed to do.
The government framed its initiative within the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family), emphasizing global solidarity. This alignment with India's neighbourhood first policy further enhanced relations with other countries in the region, Tharoor reflected.
He mentioned that Vaccine Maitri bolstered India's reputation as a force for good globally, enriching its soft power during the “dark days” of the pandemic.
Tharoor highlighted India's contribution to the global COVAX initiative, a WHO-led effort aimed at ensuring equitable vaccine distribution that has been “shamefully under-resourced” by wealthier nations.
“In doing so, India reaffirmed its role as a global leader, shaping solutions within multilateral frameworks. In contrast, richer countries hoarded vaccines for their citizens, much of which went unused, while lives could have been saved if distributed to poorer nations,” Tharoor noted.
Stressing India's health diplomacy, Tharoor remarked, “Our initiatives went beyond just providing vaccines; we sent Indian military doctors to Nepal, the Maldives, and Kuwait, and organized online training for healthcare workers across South Asia. Moreover, through our engagement with global platforms like GAVI, the Quad, and the Pan Africa E-Network, India addressed immediate health issues while laying a foundation for long-term international collaboration.”
“This initiative carried values of compassion, cooperation, and global partnership to the world, fostering goodwill, enhancing diplomatic ties, and raising India's international profile. It exemplified a conscious effort to align the aspirations of developing nations with the responsibilities of developed ones. Five years later, this silver lining from the Covid cloud is still deserving of recognition and praise,” Tharoor concluded in his article.
These comments were made in the context of Tharoor's commendation of the Prime Minister for India's position in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and discussions with US President Donald Trump.
