Vaccine Diplomacy

Context-India has decided to ship out doses of the novel coronavirus vaccine to
‘neighbouring and key partner countries’. India’s vaccine diplomacy has reached 17 nations,
including neighbouring countries as well as those in West Asia, Africa and Latin America.

As part of the GAVI-COVAX alliance, India would further supply 1 crore (10 million) doses to
Africa and 10 lakh (1 million) to UN health workers.

● Vaccine diplomacy is the branch of global health diplomacy in which a nation uses the
development or delivery of vaccines to strengthen ties with other nations

● It also includes the joint development of life-saving vaccines and related technologies,
with the major actors typically scientists coming together to work irrespective of the
kind of diplomatic relationship between the participating countries.

Importance of India’s vaccine diplomacy

⮚ The foreign-policy benefits in strategic areas could be great. For instance, India is keen
on mending its ties with Bangladesh. New Delhi’s controversial citizenship law enacted
last year and the news of $40 billion in investments from China to Bangladesh had
strained ties between the two nations. The COVID-19 vaccine can let a little slack back in.
⮚ Similarly, vaccine diplomacy provides an opportunity for India to resolve outstanding
issues with Nepal. Relations between the two countries recently hit a new low when
they entered into a heated exchange over the Kalapani territorial dispute—an area
situated at the strategic China-Nepal-India trijunction.
⮚ In Indian Ocean countries like the Maldives and Mauritius, India’s vaccine diplomacy can
help foster stronger ties in the region, and offset China’s growing influence attributable
to its financial investments and social-development projects.
⮚ Advantage over Chinese: China recently offered its vaccines to Nepal, Afghanistan, Sri
Lanka and Bangladesh as it held a multilateral dialogue with the four countries and
Pakistan on anti-epidemic prevention.
⮚ India’s vaccine diplomacy puts it in direct competition with China—which has made no
secret that vaccine distribution is wrapped up in its broader geopolitical ambitions. In
fact, it has even explicitly included vaccine distribution in its broader Health Silk Road
initiative, which aims to bolster China’s international soft power.

ECONOMIC BENEFITS
⮚ Make India global supply centre: Beyond India’s immediate neighbours, South Korea,
Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and South Africa have all shown inclinations to
purchase vaccines from India which is estimated to be 60% of the global supply of
inoculants.

⮚ Boost Pharma Manufacturing in India: India can become the pharmacy of the world. If
Indian vaccines help developing countries to meet their urgent needs, they can become
the future long term destination for market expansion of Indian pharmas.

⮚ Help in reviving the economy: If India becomes the manufacturing hub to corona
vaccines across the world, it shall give a boost to the GDP of India.

DISRUPTS VACCINE NATIONALISM

● Vaccine Nationalism is the mechanism through which a country manages to secure
doses of vaccines for its own citizens or residents and prioritises its own domestic
markets before they are made available in other countries through pre-purchase
agreements with a vaccine manufacturer.

● The major drawback of vaccine nationalism is that it puts countries with fewer resources
and bargaining power at a disadvantage. India’s intervention by making vaccines
available to needy countries disrupted the vaccine nationalism.

Way forward
Vaccines are the single most powerful health interventions developed by modern
medicine. Universal, equitable, and affordable supply of vaccines for low- and middle-
income countries are needed more than ever. In past epidemics, such as the H1N1
influenza, many developing countries were on the outside looking in when it came to
access. India is now on the inside, and it can play a crucial role in health and safety in an
increasingly interdependent world.