India is waiving its 10% customs duties on imported COVID-19 vaccines, a senior government official told Reuters on Monday, as it seeks to ramp up supplies to stem a dramatic increase in coronavirus cases.
Imports of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine will arrive shortly, and the government has also urged Pfizer (PFE.N), Moderna (MRNA.O) and Johnson and Johnson (JNJ.N) to sell their products to India.
The official, who declined to be named, also said the government is considering allowing private entities to import approved vaccines for sale on the open market without government intervention. They could also be free to set prices, he added.
The Indian government is currently regulating the sale and purchase of all COVID-19 shots in the country.
A Treasury Department spokesperson did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment outside office hours.
Other South Asian countries, including Nepal and Pakistan, as well as Latin American countries such as Argentina and Brazil, levy import tariffs on vaccines between 10% and 20%.
The number of new COVID-19 infections and deaths in India has risen by record numbers for days, as hospitals are short of beds, oxygen and important medicines. The total number of deaths has risen to nearly 179,000 and the number of cases has risen to over 15 million, the world’s second highest after the United States. read more
The government has now decided to open vaccinations to all adults from 1 May.
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