India at forefront of global efforts to forge response to Covid: Kovind

President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday said India has been at the forefront of the global efforts to forge a decisive and coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure collective health and economic wellbeing.

Addressing an event, he said under the government's Vaccine Maitri initiative, highly affordable vaccines made in India have already reached several countries, re-enforcing our reputation as the "Pharmacy of the World".

Kovind accepted credentials from Ambassador/High Commissioners of the Republic of Fiji, Dominican Republic, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana in the virtual ceremony, a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

Those who presented their credentials were Kamlesh Shashi Prakash, High Commissioner of the Republic of Fiji, David Emmanuel Puig Buchel, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic, Farid Mamundzay, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and Charrandass Persaud, High Commissioner of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, it said.

Speaking on the occasion, the president conveyed his good wishes to the envoys on their appointment.

He said India enjoys warm and friendly relations with all these four countries and that our ties were deeply rooted in a common vision of peace and prosperity.

The president also thanked their governments for supporting India's candidature for the non-permanent seat of the UN Security Council for the term 2021-22.

President Kovind noted that India has been at the forefront of the global efforts to forge a decisive and coordinated response to COVID-19 to ensure our collective health and economic well-being, the statement said.

In their remarks, the Ambassadors/High Commissioners highlighted the excellent relations their countries share with India and conveyed the resolve of their leaderships to take them further.

"Ambassadors/High Commissioners also thanked the Government of India for their continued development assistance and support in capacity-building across diverse areas," it said.

They also expressed their gratitude to India for its humanitarian gesture of supplying COVID-19 vaccines to their countries, the statement added.