India last week started its vaccination drive against the coronavirus (File)
Indian scientists and health warriors have risen to the occasion and the vaccines being developed and manufactured in India will help our people as well as humanity at large in escaping from the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a message to Maldivian President Ibrahim Solih on Monday.
He conveyed this to Mr Solih on Twitter while responding to the latter's congratulatory message over India's "landmark programme" to vaccinate Indian population against COVID-19.
"Congratulations to PM @narendramodi and the Indian government for its landmark programme to vaccinate India''s population against COVID-19," Mr Solih tweeted on Sunday.
"I'm highly confident that you'll be successful in this endeavour and that we are finally seeing an end to the COVID-19 scourge," he said.
Responding to Mr Solih's message, Prime Minister Modi tweeted Monday, "Thank you, President @ibusolih. Our scientists and health-warriors have risen to the occasion."
"The vaccines being developed and manufactured in India will help our people as well as humanity at large in escaping from the pandemic," PM Modi said.
Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering and Sri Lankan premier Mahinda Rajapaksa had also congratulated PM Modi earlier for the landmark launch of the world's largest COVID-19 vaccination drive, hoping it would mitigate the sufferings endured by the people due to the pandemic.
PM Modi on Saturday launched the vaccination drive with healthcare workers at the frontline of India's COVID-19 battle getting their first jabs, showing the light at the end of a 10-month tunnel that upended millions of lives and livelihoods.