- Widespread support was given to India and South Africa to temporarily waive patents on the COVID-19 vaccine in the G7 summit in the UK.
- The Group of Seven (G7) comprises the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States
- The G7 has pledged to donate an additional one billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines within the next year
- In a virtual address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought the support of the grouping to lift patent protections for COVID-19 vaccines. The statement was supported by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, WTO Director-General Okonjo Iweala, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
- P Harish, secretary (economic relations) added that widespread support in deliberations for text-based negotiations on the India-South Africa proposal for TRIPS waiver at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
- He also said the prime minister’s remarks on Saturday at the session titled ‘Building Back Stronger-Health’
- French President Emmanuel Macron also highlighted the need to focus on ramping up production capacity in Africa and called on India to lend its expertise as an important production hub globally.
- Modi also highlighted India’s ‘Whole of Government, Whole of Society’ approach to the pandemic, with the efforts of governments at all levels, civil society, and industry synergized for best results.
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