Brazil Requests India For 2 Million COVID-19 Doses, Sends Special Flight!

As of January 15, 2021 a special flight arrived on Indian shores from Brazil. Fact! Purpose? To collect the COVID 19 vaccine from India, bound for Brazil. As a matter of fact, no fewer than 2 million items of the COVID 19 vaccine is needed by the Jair Bolsonaro-led nation. But the question is- has India finalized the plan to export the vaccine to Brazil?

The arrival of the flight actually follows a request tendered by Mr. Bolsonaro to his Indian counterpart Shri Narendra Modi. In fact, the entire idea of Brazil here was to not jeopardize the vaccination drive, currently on in the country.

But the point is whether the two countries have actually finalized on the shipment that is Brazil bound and is, truth be told, very important for the Latin American nation.

That being said, India’s response to Brazil actually sending a special aircraft for the collection of the said vaccine is rather interesting in that there doesn’t seem to be parity- unless one is very much mistaken- on both ends regarding the matter.

It is that India is shortly all set to enter its COVID 19 vaccination drive in different parts. So where are the new nations at this point in time about an issue one can’t simply say is unimportant for one of the largest countries on the face of the earth for a vaccine, at the end of the day, holds equal importance for both countries.

That said, before one jumps into the heart of the matter, it is worthwhile to note that the vaccine selected by Brazil happens to be Bharat Biotech’s vaccine. But the first consignment, it is reported, that will be delivered from India will be that of Serum.

Meanwhile, here’s what the Indian Express shared on the matter:

Sources said Brazilian authorities have struck a commercial deal with Serum Institute of India in Pune, with reports from Brazil indicating that the Chinese vaccines deployed in the country are of less efficacy than claimed. The Pune firm has tied up with AstraZeneca to manufacture the vaccine developed by the University of Oxford.

“There is no point storing more vaccines beyond India’s current capacity. So the vaccine export to other countries doesn’t affect India’s vaccination plans!”

The above was told by a senior official in the Indian government to the Indian Express.

The India-bound flight, meanwhile, it is told, arrived in the country but not before beating what the Brazilian authorities said were some ‘logisitical issues.’

The need for the country to acquire vaccines from India had arrived only after a letter was sent by Bolsonaro to the Indian Prime Minister, wherein the Sao Paulo-born President expressed his appreciation of India. Furthermore, in the same communication, the factor of India’s dependability; the country being a reliable partner in dire times such as the global pandemic was also clearly mentioned by the country.

One of India’s widely-read newspapers also happened to report the following:

Bolsonaro had then compared India’s move to Lord Hanuman bringing the Sanjeevani to save Lakshmana’s life in the Ramayana. “Just as Lord Hanuman brought the holy medicine from the Himalayas to save the life of Lord Rama’s brother Laksmana, and Jesus healed those who were sick…India and Brazil will overcome this global crisis,” Bolsonaro had written in his letter, which arrived on the eve of Hanuman Jayanti.

Also Read: What Is Covaxin, And Is It Reliable?

That being said, it is believed that India’s official stand at this point in time is that- the current situation might be a bit too early for India to export the COVID 19 vaccine. So what will happen now? Will Brazil actually receive the intended lot it wishes to receive?