OTTAWA -- With the possibility for Canada to receive COVID-19 vaccines manufactured in India, Indiaās Prime Minister Narendra Modi says he told Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that his country will ādo its bestā to see shots sent to Canada.
Trudeau and Modi spoke on the phone on Wednesday about the two nationsā respective vaccine rollouts and the need for international co-ordination on securing supplies.
In a tweet, Modi said that on the call with Trudeau he āassured him that India would do its best to facilitate supplies of COVID vaccines sought by Canada.ā
The Serum Institute of India has a contract with AstraZeneca to produce doses of its vaccine, to āsupply India but also a large number of countries around the world,ā and Health Canada is currently reviewing the facilitiesā the worldās largest vaccine manufacturerāas the health agency developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University for use in Canada.
Modiās office said that Trudeau spoke with Modi about āCanadaās requirementsā of vaccines from India and thanked Modi for supporting Canadaās vaccination efforts, noting the role that the pharmaceutical capacity in India is playing in tackling COVID-19.
According to a readout issued by Trudeauās office following the Wednesday call, the two leaders discussed āIndia's significant efforts in promoting vaccine production and supply, which have provided vital support to countries around the world,ā and āagreed to work together on access to vaccines.ā
During a press conference earlier on Wednesday, Trudeau was asked about whether he had planned to reach out to Modi about ensuring supplies from India, and he spoke in generalities in response.
āWe are continually in contact with our friends and allies around the world on the issues of vaccines, on the issue of fighting COVID. I can highlight that India has been a great partner in fighting COVID, whether it's helping us with delivery of other pharmaceuticals, or whether it's working together on potential vaccines,ā the prime minister said.
He went on to say the government is also in talks with vaccine manufacturers about ensuring āreliableā supplies of shipments and access to additional doses.
On Tuesday, Health Canadaās senior medical adviser Dr. Supriya Sharma said the agency was in the āfinal stagesā of reviewing the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine candidate.
Canada has secured access to 20 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, as well as 1.9 million doses through the global vaccine-sharing initiative COVAX. It, like the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, requires two doses.
While Wednesdayās exchange included friendly language from both nations, Canada-India relations have been strained at times over the last few years, including as a result of Trudeauās troubled 2018 India trip. In December, the prime minister came under fire from politicians in India for defending farmersā right to peacefully protest in response to new laws passed by Modiās government.
The readout from Trudeauās office said that the two world leaders discussed the protests, āIndiaās commitment to democratic principles,ā and āthe importance of resolving issues through dialogue.ā
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 10, 2021.
