70 mn doses ready: Delays over pricing holding back India's vaccine rollout

The Indian government may be looking to put pressure on Serum to lower its prices, as seen by its controversial decision to greenlight a rival vaccine

As major countries like the U.S. and China race to vaccinate their populations with rapidly approved shots, tens of millions of doses prepared for India are sitting in storage despite having been authorized for use.

While distribution in other nations started soon after approval with pricing deals signed ahead of time, New Delhi and Serum Institute of India Ltd. -- the world’s biggest vaccine maker by volume and AstraZeneca Plc’s local partner -- have engaged in months of haggling behind closed doors and are yet to sign a formal supply agreement. That has left at least 70 million vaccine doses