New Delhi: India's Dr Reddy's Laboratories is in talks with the government to bring Russia's Sputnik Light COVID-19 vaccine into the country, a company spokesperson told Reuters on Monday.
Dr Reddy's is also in talks with the Indian government and the private sector to supply the two-dose Sputnik V vaccine, which the company expects to commercially launch in the country in the middle of next month.
India is currently using made-in-India vaccines – Covishield manufactured by SII and Covaxin of Bharat Biotech – in its COVID-19 immunisation programme.
The Russian Sputnik V is the third vaccine to get approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for emergency use and is being used in a few private hospitals.
Facing accusations of delay in placing orders for vaccines, the government last week defended its vaccine procurement policy saying it has been pursuing Pfizer, J&J and Moderna since mid-2020 for the earliest possible imports, and has even waived local trials for well-established foreign vaccine makers.
The government has faced criticism from several quarters over the shortage of vaccines and inability of the immunization programme to pick up pace at a time when the country is facing a tidal wave of infections and a rising death toll.
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