The Narendra Modi government is expectedly facing criticism now that a shortage of vaccines has become a huge bottleneck in the fight against coronavirus. Editorialists and commentators are of the view that India had promised to be the vaccine factory of the world, only to face shortages in no time.

As per a Business Standard editorial, manufacturers like the Serum Institute of India should have been supported financially to ramp up vaccine production by now. A recent estimate said that SII, for one, needs not more than Rs 3,000 Cr to rise to the occasion.

On the other hand, Dr. Vijay Chauthiwale, a scientist who is associated with the BJP, has said that India is well on its way to meeting its target of vaccinating 30 crore citizens by August. This was the target when vaccine rollout started in December. In all probability, India will successfully vaccinate 100 crore people by the end of the year.

Ashok Malik, who is a policy adviser to the government of India, said that hope will go up as Sputnik, Johnson & Johnson and Zydus Cadilla vaccines become available sooner than later. Also, the production of the current ones (Covishield and Covaxin) will be ramped up. He said that the ramping up of the existing vaccines is already in the works. He also estimates that India is looking at a serious inflexion point in early July.

There is a view that vaccine supply constraints have been exacerbated by the fact that Pfizer and Moderna vaccines haven't been imported. The government is insisting on bridging trials before they can be administered to the Indian population.