Prof. Rama V. Baru (Jawaharlal Nehru University-Delhi), Prof. Biswajit Dhar (Jawaharlal Nehru University-Delhi), Dr. Manoj Joshi (Observer Research Foundation-Delhi)

As the global community struggles to put behind the scourge of COVID-19, it is clear that the only effective way to realize this objective is to ensure affordable vaccines for all. However, access to affordable vaccines has emerged as a major challenge as developed countries have stocked vaccines well in excess of their requirements and companies are leveraging their intellectual property rights (IPRs) over vaccines. Vaccine diplomacy is also the flavour of the day. Even as developed countries flounder, China and India have handled the situation better and have stepped in to fill the breach. They are going out of their way to provide COVID vaccine to developing countries, often on a grant basis and building up a stock of diplomatic goodwill.
At the WTO, India & South Africa had tabled a proposal in October 2020, seeking a temporary waiver from the implementation and enforcement of four major forms of IPRs, with support from WTO members. The Webinar will address the above issues.