Brazilian Ambassador calls for 'strengthening Indo-Brazilian partnership' following COVID-19 vaccine supplies
Jan 23, 2021
New Delhi [India], January 23 : Brazilian Ambassador to India Andre Aranha Correa do Lago on Saturday applauded New Delhi's assistance in providing COVID-19 vaccines to Brazil and called for 'strengthening the Indo-Brazilian partnership'.
"It is significant to see our leaders and our countries so close in these challenging moments. Let's all work together for strengthening the Indo-Brazilian partnership!" tweeted Lago.
India dispatched two million doses of Covishield vaccines to Brazil on Friday. Covishield has been developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University and is being manufactured by Serum Institute of India.
The flight landed in Brazil today. Elated with the Indian assistance, Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro on Friday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi by saying "dhanyavaad" for supplying the "sanjeevni booti" (the vaccine) against the coronavirus to the South American country, which has reported the second-highest death toll from the COVID-19 disease in the world.
In a tweet on Friday, the Brazilian President said it was an honour to have India as a "great partner" against the "global obstacle."
"Namaskar, Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) @narendramodi. Brazil feels honoured to have a great partner to overcome a global obstacle by joining efforts," Bolsonaro wrote in a tweet.
"Thank you for assisting us with the vaccines exports from India to Brazil. Dhanyavaad!," he added.
In his tweet, Bolsonaro shared a depiction of Lord Hanuman carrying a mountain with vaccines from India to Brazil. The illustration is inspired from the Indian epic 'Ramayana' where Hanuman carried an entire mountain to deliver the Sanjeevani herb to save the life of Lakshmana, the brother of Lord Rama, when he was injured in a battle.
"Dhanyawad, Bharat," the image read (written in the Latin and Hindi text).
Prime Minister Modi also replied to the Brazilian President saying that it was an honour to be a trusted partner during the pandemic adding that the two countries will continue to strengthen cooperation on healthcare.
"The honour is ours, President @jairbolsonaro to be a trusted partner of Brazil in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic together. We will continue to strengthen our cooperation on healthcare," Prime Minister wrote in a tweet dated Saturday.
In the last few days, India has supplied COVID-19 vaccines made in the country, under the initiative of Vaccine Maitri programme, to neighbouring countries including Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Large consignments of Covishield vaccine were flown in a special Indian aircraft to Seychelles, Mauritius and Myanmar on Friday. Contractual supplies are also being undertaken to Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Morocco, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
