Brazil on Saturday received two million doses of India made coronavirus vaccines. Brazil President Jair M Bolsonaro, while thanking India for the vaccines, said that his country feels honoured to have a great partner to overcome a global obstacle by joining efforts.
India, one of the world's biggest drugmakers, on Friday began commercial exports and sent two million doses of Covishield, developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, to Brazil.
"Namaskar, Prime Minister @narendramodi. Brazil is honoured to have a great partner to overcome a global obstacle. Thank you for helping us with vaccine exports from India to Brazil. Dhanyavaad!," Bolsonaro tweeted on Friday.
Posting the same message in Portuguese, Bolsonaro also shared an illustration of Lord Hanuman carrying the Dronagiri hill from India to Brazil with a syringe and a vial on top. According to a popular tale from Ramayana, Lord Hanuman was tasked with bringing the 'Sanjeevani booti', a herb with life-saving properties, from the Dronagiri hill after Lord Ram's younger brother Laxman was injured in a battle in Lanka. Unable to identify the herb, Lord Hanuman returned with the entire hill.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also replied to the Brazilian President saying that it was an honour to be a trusted partner during the pandemic adding that the two countries will continue to strengthen cooperation on healthcare.
"The honour is ours, President @jairbolsonaro to be a trusted partner of Brazil in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic together. We will continue to strengthen our cooperation on healthcare," Prime Minister wrote in a tweet dated Saturday.
A flight carrying two million doses of India made coronavirus vaccines landed in Brazil on Saturday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced.
"Trust the Pharmacy of the World. Made in India vaccines arrive in Brazil," Jaishankar tweeted. India dispatched two million doses of Covishield vaccines to Brazil on Friday. Covishield has been developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University and is being manufactured by Serum Institute of India.
In the last few days, India has supplied COVID-19 vaccines, being manufactured in the country, to neighbouring countries including Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Large consignments of Covishield vaccine doses were flown in a special Indian aircraft to Seychelles, Mauritius and Myanmar on Friday. Contractual supplies are also being undertaken to Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Morocco, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
(With inputs from Agencies)
