Russia is planning to introduce the single-dose COVID-19 vaccine 'Sputnik Lite' in India soon, its ambassador to the country, Nikolay Kudashev, said on Sunday (May 16, 2021). Sputnik V was approved for use in India on April 12, 2021, and granted an emergency use authorization. Sputnik V has joined Covaxin and Covishield in the COVID-19 immunization drive in India.

On the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, Kudashev said Russia expects that its production in India will be gradually increased by 850 million doses per year. 

Kudashev was speaking to ANI after the delivery of the second batch of Sputnik V coronavirus vaccines in Hyderabad.

"Looking forward to further expanding our bilateral and multilateral cooperation with India to stop the pandemic," he said.

He added that the efficacy of Sputnik V is well-known in the world and back in Russia, it is being successfully used to vaccinate citizens starting in the second half of 2020. 

"Russian specialists declared that it is also effective against the new strains of COVID-19," Kudashev stated.

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