INDIA’S external affairs minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday (29) said that international cooperation is the answer to the challenge posed by the coronavirus pandemic.
"Whether it is vaccines, medicines, PPE or oxygen, international cooperation is the answer to the Covid challenge. Need more, not less," Jaishankar said while addressing the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meet in Italy.
"Institutional multilateralism has been found wanting. Reforms have many forms but vaccine equity will be the immediate test," he said.
After being hit by a devastating second wave of Covid-19, India has multiplied its efforts to boost domestic production of vaccines as well their procurement from abroad.
Since the start of the pandemic last year, India has recorded more than 30 million coronavirus cases and registered nearly 400,000 deaths due to the virus.
According to Johns Hopkins University, the deadly virus has infected over 180 million people globally and killed nearly 4 million.
In a speech last month, Jaishankar had called for promoting decentralised globalisation and establishing resilient supply chains to de-risk the world economy.
He said the full diversity of "our planet needs more accurate reflection in global policy making.”
While speaking at the G20 session on Africa, he underlined India's solidarity with Global South and respect for African priorities.
The G20 summit is scheduled to be held in Italy in October. India is expected to hold the presidency of the G20 in 2022.
