By Aftab Ahmed
NEW DELHI, April 19 (Reuters) - India is set to accept the
Serum Institute of India's (SII) request for a grant of 30
billion rupees ($400 million) to boost its capacity to make the
AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, a government source with
knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
SII, the world's biggest vaccine maker, had sought the funds
to increase its monthly capacity to more than 100 million doses
by the end of May, from up to 70 million currently.
"We are clear that we will give whatever support is
necessary for development and boosting availability of vaccines
in the country," the source said on Sunday, declining to be
identified as he was not authorised to speak publicly on the
matter.
As coronavirus infections overwhelm the country, the
government is struggling to meet demand for vaccine doses. It
has now fast-tracked imports and also trying to expand
production of its only domestically developed shot, Covaxin.
Another source close to the company said late last week SII
was expecting the money to come through.
A finance ministry spokesman declined to comment. SII did
not respond to a request for comment.
($1 = 74.8600 Indian rupees)
(Reporting by Aftab Ahmed; additional reporting by Krishna N.
Das; Editing by Nick Macfie)