'Quad's commitment to provide 1 bn jabs in SE Asia on track'

Washington DC: The commitment of the Quad nations to provide one billion COVID-19 vaccines to people in Southeast Asia by 2022 is still on track, despite the devastating second wave of the Coronavirus pandemic in India, according to a top White House official.

In March, leaders of the Quad comprising Australia, India, Japan and the United States, during their first virtual summit, committed themselves to provide one billion vaccines to Southeast Asia.

These vaccines were to be manufactured in India, but due to the unprecedented second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, certain quarters are raising doubts if the Quad can meet its commitment

by 2022.

"We have been in close consultations with our partners and with India. Obviously, this is an extremely difficult period for Indian friends. The United States has tried to stand with Delhi and to bring others both in the private and the public sectors to support them," said Kurt Campbell, the White House's Indo-Pacific policy director.

"Our discussions with both our partners in the private sector and also in government suggests that we are knock-on-wood still on track for 2022, he said.

Participating in a panel discussion organised by the Center for New American Security, a think-tank in Washington DC, he said that the most intense efforts right now really are in the

short-term.