First obligation is to Americans, says US on India's request for vaccine raw materials

NEW DELHI: As India’s Covid crisis explodes, the US delivered a blow to India’s vaccination programme, indicating it would prioritise its own citizens before addressing India’s request for vaccine components.

Responding to journalists, the US State Department spokesperson said, “we have a special responsibility to the American people”.

“It's of course not only in our interest to see Americans vaccinated; it’s in the interests of the rest of the world to see Americans vaccinated.” The implied subtext was that Indians’ vaccination was less important.