Hyderabad:

French Ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain on Monday visited Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech and said that he was impressed by the company’s commitment of making Covid-19 vaccine “a global public good, accessible and affordable throughout the world.”

During his visit, Mr Lenain met the company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Krishna Ella and Gavi board member Mahima Datla.

“Glad to visit @BharatBiotech and meet CEO Dr. Krishna Ella – on the day PM @narendramodi was inoculated,” Mr Lenain wrote in a tweet.

“In #Hyderabad with @Biological_E CEO and Gavi board member Mahima Datla: very impressed by her commitment to making #COVID19 vaccine a global public good, accessible and affordable throughout the world,” he tweeted.

Glad to visit @BharatBiotech and meet CEO Dr. Krishna Ella – on the day PM @narendramodi was inoculated. pic.twitter.com/jvuBkoqbki

— Emmanuel Lenain (@FranceinIndia) March 1, 2021

“Hyderabad is one of the world’s most dynamic cities and our Alliance Francaise @AFHyderabad is equally dynamic! Learning French opens up many study and job opportunities, in France, India and across the world,” he wrote in a subsequent tweet. Last month, the French envoy had thanked India for supplying medicines to France at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“During Covid-19, you (India) shipped medicines needed in French hospitals. We are very grateful for that again… Very clear statements were released by your government and Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) when our values like secularism were under attack in my country,” Mr Lenain told ANI in Jodhpur amid the India-France bilateral exercise “Desert Knight 21”.

“India and France have been side-by-side in both good and bad times. When India decided to conduct a nuclear test in Pokhran, we were on your side as we understand your strategic autonomy,” he said.

India has supplied Covid-19 vaccines to various countries including its neighbours Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bangladesh, to help them combat the coronavirus.