India gives 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Afghanistan

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) - India on Saturday supplied 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Afghanistan as part of "humanitarian assistance," the government said.

According to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs, the Covaxin vaccines were handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital in the Afghan capital Kabul.

Covaxin is an Indian homegrown vaccine manufactured by the pharmaceutical firm Bharat Biotech.

Another batch of additional 500,000 doses would be supplied in the coming weeks, the statement said.

The Indian government is "committed to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghan people consisting of food grains, one million doses of COVID vaccine and essential life-saving drugs," the ministry added.

Last month, India delivered 1.6 tons of medical assistance to Afghanistan through the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Taliban regained control of the country after the US-backed administration exited from Afghanistan last year in August.