Brazilian Ambassador to India Andre Aranha Correa do Lago on Saturday called for ‘strengthening the Indo-Brazilian partnership’ as India dispatched two million doses of its coronavirus vaccine to Brazil.
“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!” Lago said in a tweet.
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.
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.
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 tweet was 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.
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 on 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.