<p>India expects to receive 30 to 40 lakh doses of the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 shots through the COVAX facility by August, two sources said, as it tries to expand inoculations to prevent another surge in infections.</p>.<p>COVAX, led by the GAVI vaccine alliance and the World Health Organization (WHO), could ship the US-made doses to India as early as this month, one of the sources aware of the discussions told Reuters.</p>.<p>"It's a donation through COVAX," said the source. Both sources declined to be named as the discussions are private.</p>.<p>Pfizer and Moderna did not immediately reply to Reuters' e-mails seeking comment. GAVI and India's foreign ministry also did not reply to queries.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/covid-19-wrap-up-crowds-at-tourist-spots-with-no-masks-social-distancing-escalate-fear-of-third-wave-1005889.html" target="_blank">Covid Wrap-Up: Early celebration mounts third wave fear</a></strong></p>.<p>India is the world's biggest producer of vaccines overall. It donated or sold more than 6.6 crore doses of Covid-19 shots before a huge rise in infections forced it to divert all domestic output to inoculate its own people from April.</p>.<p>The country has so far administered 35.81 crore vaccine doses - the most in the world after China - giving at least one dose to 31% of its estimated adult population of 94.4 crore.</p>.<p>India mainly relies on a licenced version of the AstraZeneca vaccine.</p>.<p>Experts have said India needs to administer 1 crore doses a day to achieve its aim of immunising all adults by December. It administered about 40 lakh doses a day in the week to July 2.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/global-vaccine-alliance-gavi-hopes-india-will-resume-exports-in-july-quarter-1005854.html" target="_blank">Global vaccine alliance GAVI hopes India will resume exports in July quarter</a></strong></p>.<p>Apart from Moderna and Pfizer, India has also been courting Johnson & Johnson for vaccine supplies. J&J has already signed a manufacturing agreement with India's Biological E. Ltd though production has yet to start.</p>.<p>A J&J spokesperson in India said the company was looking to expedite vaccine supplies to the country.</p>.<p>"We are exploring how best to accelerate our ability to deliver our vaccine to the people of India through our global Covid-19 vaccine supply network, including our partnership with Biological E. Limited," the spokesperson told Reuters in an e-mail.</p>
<p>India expects to receive 30 to 40 lakh doses of the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 shots through the COVAX facility by August, two sources said, as it tries to expand inoculations to prevent another surge in infections.</p>.<p>COVAX, led by the GAVI vaccine alliance and the World Health Organization (WHO), could ship the US-made doses to India as early as this month, one of the sources aware of the discussions told Reuters.</p>.<p>"It's a donation through COVAX," said the source. Both sources declined to be named as the discussions are private.</p>.<p>Pfizer and Moderna did not immediately reply to Reuters' e-mails seeking comment. GAVI and India's foreign ministry also did not reply to queries.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/covid-19-wrap-up-crowds-at-tourist-spots-with-no-masks-social-distancing-escalate-fear-of-third-wave-1005889.html" target="_blank">Covid Wrap-Up: Early celebration mounts third wave fear</a></strong></p>.<p>India is the world's biggest producer of vaccines overall. It donated or sold more than 6.6 crore doses of Covid-19 shots before a huge rise in infections forced it to divert all domestic output to inoculate its own people from April.</p>.<p>The country has so far administered 35.81 crore vaccine doses - the most in the world after China - giving at least one dose to 31% of its estimated adult population of 94.4 crore.</p>.<p>India mainly relies on a licenced version of the AstraZeneca vaccine.</p>.<p>Experts have said India needs to administer 1 crore doses a day to achieve its aim of immunising all adults by December. It administered about 40 lakh doses a day in the week to July 2.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/global-vaccine-alliance-gavi-hopes-india-will-resume-exports-in-july-quarter-1005854.html" target="_blank">Global vaccine alliance GAVI hopes India will resume exports in July quarter</a></strong></p>.<p>Apart from Moderna and Pfizer, India has also been courting Johnson & Johnson for vaccine supplies. J&J has already signed a manufacturing agreement with India's Biological E. Ltd though production has yet to start.</p>.<p>A J&J spokesperson in India said the company was looking to expedite vaccine supplies to the country.</p>.<p>"We are exploring how best to accelerate our ability to deliver our vaccine to the people of India through our global Covid-19 vaccine supply network, including our partnership with Biological E. Limited," the spokesperson told Reuters in an e-mail.</p>