PM Says "Country Now Has Protective Shield Of 100 Crore Vaccine Doses"

India has scripted history by reaching the one billion COVID-19 vaccinations milestone mark, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today as he congratulated the country's health care workers for helping the country achieve the feat. The milestone is a triumph of Indian science, enterprise and collective spirit of 130 crore Indians, he said.

China is the only nation to dish out more vaccine doses than India, having fully inoculated some 1.05 billion, or 75% of its citizens, as of late September, according to Bloomberg.

India scripts history.

We are witnessing the triumph of Indian science, enterprise and collective spirit of 130 crore Indians.

Congrats India on crossing 100 crore vaccinations. Gratitude to our doctors, nurses and all those who worked to achieve this feat. #VaccineCentury

- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 21, 2021

India reached the 100 crore vaccinations milestone shortly before 10 AM. 

Later while speaking via video conferencing after inaugurating a new building set up the Infosys Foundation at AIIMS Campus in New Delhi, PM Modi said, "This day of October 21, 2021, has been recorded in history. India has crossed the 100 crore vaccine doses mark sometime back. To combat the biggest pandemic in 100 years, the country now has a strong protective shield of 100 crore vaccine doses. This achievement belongs to India, every citizen of India."

"Congratulations India! This is the result of the leadership of our visionary Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted as he officially announced the milestone in a tweet at 9:48 AM. 

बधाई हो भारत!

दूरदर्शी प्रधानमंत्री श्री @NarendraModi जी के समर्थ नेतृत्व का यह प्रतिफल है।#VaccineCentury pic.twitter.com/11HCWNpFan

- Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) October 21, 2021

Earlier today, PM Modi visited the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi and interacted with hospital officials after the milestone was achieved.

PM Modi has frequently praised health workers for spearheading the vaccination drive.

Today, when India has achieved a #VaccineCentury, I went to a vaccination centre at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. The vaccine has brought pride and protection in the lives of our citizens. pic.twitter.com/MUObjQKpga

- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 21, 2021

According to the government, around three-quarters of adults in the country of 1.3 billion people have had one shot and around 30 percent are fully vaccinated.

Daily vaccine shots have averaged 5 million this month, a fifth of September's peak, though states are sitting on record stocks of more than 100 million as the domestic output of the AstraZeneca vaccine soars.