Mission COVID Suraksha- the Indian COVID-19 Vaccine Development Mission will get Rs 900 crore third stimulus package. The Government of India has announced of the stimulus package. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) will be provided with this grant for Research & Development of Indian COVID-19 vaccines. The mission goes with end-to-end focus from preclinical development through clinical development and manufacturing and regulatory facilitation for deployment, consolidating all available and funded resources towards an accelerated product development. 

This will ensure atleast 5-6 vaccine candidate development, close to licensing, introduction in the market after regulatory approval to the introduction in the public health systems to stop the viral infection. The main objective of this fund is to accelerate pre-clinical& clinical development; licensure of COVID-19 vaccine candidates that are currently in clinical stages or ready to enter clinical stage of development, establishing clinical trial sites, and strengthening the existing immunoassay laboratories, central laboratories and suitable facilities for animal studies, production facilities and other testing facilities to support COVID-19 vaccine development. 

Along side it promotes development of common harmonized protocols, trainings, data management systems, regulatory submissions, internal and external quality management systems and accreditations. Department of Biotechnology leds the mission and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) implements it. Phase I has been allocated Rs 900 crore for an year. The Department has supported 10 vaccines so far, 5 are in human trials of which 3 are in advanced stage. 

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