WHAT being decried and debunked derisively as ‘vaccine diplomacy’ until now is now paying back for India. Help is pouring into India from all over the world for its fight against the second surge of the scourge of coronavirus. The countries by which India stood in their hour of crisis are now beginning to return favours to India by filling in medical supplies whose shortage is troubling the country in a big way. In this hour of crisis, thus, the world appears to be a better place with all countries binding themselves together in a universal brotherhood, making the intensity of the COVID-19 pandemic a little less, a little more bearable, a little better experience. Was this not the definition which global altruism saw and sought as ideal!

 

That is the reason why Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi is engaging world leaders in thanks-giving conversations over telephone. In reciprocation, the world leaders also are thanking India for standing by them in their hour of crisis a few months ago. It appears that in the next few days, India will wipe out all the shortages of medical supplies and be able to launch better fight-back. Already, the shortage of medical-grade oxygen has been taken care of reasonably, and other supplies are on the way in increasing proportions. It is unfortunate, however, that some elements in the country are still harassing the Government with undue criticism that stands to no logic. They are blaming Centre for the faults of the State Governments.

 

Unmindful of all that barbed criticism, Mr. Narendra Modi and his political and bureaucratic colleagues in the Government are calmly going about doing their mandated and unmandated work with a sense of focus. In fact, for Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, there is no work that is beyond his official mandate. He has accepted the complete challenge with the sole thought that ‘the buck stops’ at his doorstep -- well beyond politics, well beyond credit or discredit. He does not wish to pass the buck to anybody else since it is his country that is suffering and he must lead the fight. He has left political criticism to others, no matter what they say and what sort of nonsense they indulge in. For, as he knows well, it is in such moments that the true test of character lies. A few months ago as India developed its own vaccines to combat coronavirus, the Prime Minister offered help to more than sixty countries where things were truly in a bad shape. Even to the United States of America (USA), India sent massive supplies of basic medicines whose shortage it was facing at that time.

 

Very proudly and rightly, India declared itself as the world’s pharmacy -- and the world applauded cheerily. But tide turned and it is India that now needs help -- which is coming back from all directions. A few months ago, India shouldered its responsibility in the comity of nations. Now, all those nations are living up to those standards of altruism that is far, far beyond the narrow confines of vaccine diplomacy. Though the critics in India may not remain silent, the evolving events have answered all their criticism and antagonism fully. Of course, a few sections wanted India o follow what they called ‘vaccine nationalism’, in the sense they were reminding the Government of how patriotic it should be by with-holding vaccine supplies for India’s own use. But, India did not care much about narrow definitions to afflict its conduct. It lived up to the noble sentiment Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi expressed on various platforms that India believed in sacrificing and sharing of common resources for common good -- Tyena Tyaktena Bhunjeetha ... in the Upanishadic promise and premise. All that goodness is now coming back in good measure. This is how seers envisioned the world as one family living on Planet Earth -- Vasudheiva Kutumbakam! That vision is now being realised. It may take long before it is cemented into the world’s common thought-heritage. But then, we have made the beginning!