Do business on our terms: Indian Govt tells foreign COVID vaccine makers over indemnity issue

"India already had the manpower and brand power, the need was to identify the potential. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was determined and kept on encouraging and motivating scientists and companies," he stated.

Mandaviya also said that the world is astonished by India's vaccination coverage which has reached almost 175 crore, adding that the third COVID-19 wave is on the decline.

He said there have been fewer deaths during the third wave due to large-scale vaccination, except those who died due to co-morbidities and the elderly.

Talking about the criticism faced by the Centre over the vaccination drive, the health minister said opposition leaders like Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav had questioned the effectiveness of India-made vaccines and refused to take them after terming them "BJP vaccines".

A political personality has followers who get influenced by their comments… And a recent study showed how those pockets where the vaccination rate is slow or where it began late were impacted by Covid, he said.

Mandaviya also referred to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioning the availability of COVID-19 vaccines in the country. He said the prime minister had asked them not to indulge in politics and stay committed to ensuring that each and every citizen gets vaccinated.