Vaccine – Interest
Venkatesh Iyer
BENGALURU, August 16: The Indian Ambassador in Bhutan Ruchira Kamboj has said the Bhutanese government had shown keen interest to join hands with India in working for the COVID – 19 vaccine trials.
In an interview with the Bhutanese newspaper ‘Kuensel’, Kamboj also confirmed that the government of India had received the request from the Bhutanese government. “We believe that the private companies in India developing the vaccines will conduct the trials keeping in mind the set procedural protocols,” she said.
According to reports, COVID -19 vaccines being developed by three companies in India, Oxford-Serum, Bharat Biotec- ICMR and Zydus Cadila are at various stages of trials.
The Indian diplomat also ensured that in “solidarity” with the Bhutanese government, which has imposed a nation-wide lockdown, India would ensure “unending movement of both essential and non-essential commodities to Bhutan.” She said India would stand solidly with Bhutan to overcome the challenges thrown by the pandemic. “The relations between the two countries are indeed privileged and serves as an abridgement of unsullied, neighbourly associations for the rest of the world,” she added.
She pointed out that the multifaceted links between the two countries covered a number of areas of development including hydro-power, trade and commerce, education and many more. “Both share historical, cultural and people-to-people linkages. Importantly in this technology-driven era, India is also cooperating in new areas like space science and technology, financial cooperation and digital connectivity,” she added.
Recalling the joint moves by the two countries set during the prime minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bhutan in August, last year, she pointed out that currently the two countries were collaborating on developing a small satellite for Bhutan as desired by the Bhutanese prime minister Lyonchen Dr Lotay Tshering. In the field of Research and Education India’s national knowledge is now connected to Bhutan’s Druk Research & Education Network (DrukREN).
She said shortly both the countries would see enhanced financial technology cooperation through a full inter-operability of RuPay card as well as the use of the Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) app in Bhutan.
Due to continuing pandemic, Bhutan has re-prioritised its 12th plan to which India has principally agreed for 10 new priority projects in Bhutan in line with the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” vision. It included assistance to the “Build Bhutan Project” as part of the Economic Contingency Plan for the skilling and re-employment of Bhutan citizens in domestic sectors.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of Bhutan through a Facebook post expressed good wishes for India on its 74th Independence Day.