Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine has arrived in India and is likely to be available in the market by next week, Dr VK Paul, Member-Health of Niti Aayog said on Thursday. The first batch has arrived and more will be arriving from Russia.

“I’m happy to say that we’re hopeful that it’ll be available in the market next week. We’re hopeful that the sale of the limited supply that has come from there (Russia), will begin next week,” Dr VK Paul said at a press briefing.

Further supply will also follow, the senior government official said, adding that Sputnik V will be produced in India from July onwards.

The country is also looking to produce 15.6 crore doses of the Russian Covid vaccine. Dr Reddy’s Laboratories is the Indian partner of the Russian vaccine. “Its production will begin in July and it is estimated that 15.6 crore doses will be manufactured in that period,” Dr VK Paul added.

He also said that any Covid-19 vaccine that is approved by FDA, WHO can come to India. “Import license will be granted within 1-2 days. No import license is pending,” Dr VK Paul added.

More than 2 billion doses of vaccines against the novel coronavirus will likely be available in India between August to December this year, the government advisor has said.

Those doses would include 750 million of AstraZeneca’s vaccine, produced in India by the Serum Institute of India, as well as 550 million doses of Covaxin, made by Bharat Biotech, government advisor Paul said.