Prime Minister assured the Canadian PM Justin Trudeau that India would do its best to support Canada’s vaccination efforts, just as it had done for many other countries already. The same was expressed during a call between the two leaders.
Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada called Indian PM Modi on 10 Feb, 2021 and informed him about Canada’s requirements of COVID-19 vaccines from India.
Expressing his appreciation at PM Modi’s assurance, Prime Minister Trudeau said that if the world managed to conquer COVID-19, it would be significantly because of India’s tremendous pharmaceutical capacity, and Prime Minister Modi’s leadership in sharing this capacity with the world. Prime Minister thanked PM Trudeau for his sentiments.
The two leaders also reiterated the common perspective shared by India and Canada on many important geo-political issues. They agreed to continue the close collaboration between both countries in fighting global challenges like Climate Change and the economic impacts of the pandemic.
The leaders looked forward to meeting each other in various important international fora later this year, and continuing their discussions on all issues of mutual interest.
Canadian government has been criticised for not reaching out to vaccines producers sooner due to which the country has fallen behind in the vaccination of its citizens.
It can be recalled that Canadian Member of Parliament Michelle Rempel Garner who is also the Vice Chair of the Health Committee had criticised the Canadian government for not reaching out to India sooner. On Feb 6th, Garner had asked Procurement Minister Anita Anand if she or Trudeau had reached out to PM Modi for the vaccines in a online meeting of the Health Committee. The Minister said that they had not yet reached out to India.
The US too had expressed its inability to help Canada with Vaccines as the US had said that doses made in the US will be for their own requirements now. Till early this week, Canada had administered one million COVID-19 vaccine shots covering just 2.8% of its population.
Satish Chogule 
Parag Gilada 
Aayush Pal