India fast-tracks approval for foreign vaccines amid second wave

India will fast-track approvals for Covid-19 vaccines approved by governments overseas in order to have a wider pool of shots as it struggles to control its soaring second wave of infections, effectively opening the door to shots made by Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc.

A government panel has recommended that inoculations approved by drug regulators in the U.S., U.K., European Union, Japan or which are listed in the World Health Organization, may be granted emergency use approval in the South Asian nation, according to a statement from the Indian health ministry. The decision comes a day after India reported another record surge in new Covid infections and granted emergency use approval for Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine on Monday, making it the third shot approved by the nation as it races to control its pandemic. The country rolled out its vaccination drive on Jan. 16 with shots made by AstraZeneca Plc’s local partner, Serum Institute of India Ltd., and Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International Ltd.