Breaking: India may start producing Sputnik V vaccine to defeat Covid-19, says Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on November 17 that India and China may start producing Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19, according to RIA news agency. Russian news agency TASS reported that Putin also proposed an increase in the pace of the creation of a vaccine research centre for BRICS countries Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Russia claimed that its Sputnik V vaccine is 92% effective at protecting people from COVID-19, according to interim trial results. This came after Pfizer said that its vaccine has an efficacy rate of more than 90 per cent.

Also read: Russia's Sputnik V to be cheaper than other vaccines; India to get priority: RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev

Russia licenced its Sputnik-V COVID-19 vaccine for domestic use in August before it started large-scale trials. The first batch of Sputnik-5 is likely to reach Kanpur's Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Medical College by next week.

In September, Dr Reddy's and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Russia's sovereign wealth fund, entered into a partnership to conduct clinical trials of Sputnik V vaccine and its distribution in India. As part of the partnership, RDIF shall supply 100 million doses of the vaccine to Dr Reddy's upon regulatory approval in India.

Also read: Coronavirus vaccine: First batch of Sputnik V to arrive in Kanpur medical college for Phase 2, 3 trials